


it's you

by binflower



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Boys Kissing, Dancer Hwang Hyunjin, Falling In Love, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Crossover Cameo - Freeform, Modern Royalty, Prince Seo Changbin, Sexual Tension, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:01:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27942701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/binflower/pseuds/binflower
Summary: Changbin was always good at masking his emotions with his flawless public facade. But that day he couldn’t hold back from letting his mouth fall open in a quiet gasp as Hyunjin appeared before him, taking his breath away.—Changbin is a crown prince tasked with the job of finding someone to marry. As is customary, the palace starts accepting applications from its citizens. Hyunjin submits an application to fulfill his mother's wishes, and to his surprise he ends up being one of the few selected to go to the palace and be courted by the prince.
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Seo Changbin, Lee Minho | Lee Know/Seo Changbin, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 83
Kudos: 239
Collections: Hyunfest 2020





	1. Hyunjin

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is based on the teen fiction novel "the selection" by author kiera cass. i remember the series being one of my favourites when i was younger, so writing this has been a fun experience. thank you to whoever submitted the prompt!
> 
> NOTE: i have written this fic in both hyunjin and changbin's pov, the chapter titles will indicate the switch. this is also why the length of the chapters will be shorter than you might expect, each is about 2k words.
> 
> i hope you enjoy reading! <3

“Hyunjin, come here, quickly!”

  
  


It was an early Sunday morning. Too early for Hyunjin, who was staring at his tired face in the mirror, brushing his teeth when his mother called for him. He spat into the sink and promptly rinsed his mouth before padding into the cramped space of the living room.

  
  


“Yes?” he asked lazily, glancing over to what she was watching on TV. It was a reporter standing at the gates of the royal palace. By his side was… Seo Changbin. The young and handsome crown prince of New Asia. He was speaking with that usual monotonous tone, his dull expression equally lacking any emotion. 

  
  


Hyunjin always thought the prince looked cold-hearted and boring. 

  
  


“Sweetie, they’ve decided to hold a Selection!” his mother was ecstatic, pulling her son down to sit beside her. She gave a fancy looking letter to him, which he hesitantly opened up, knowing exactly what was going to be written.

  
  


_To the House of Hwang,_

_We are pleased to present you with a grand opportunity to honour the great nation of New Asia. It has been confirmed through the recent census that a single male between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two currently resides in your home._

_Our beloved prince, Seo Changbin would be most delighted by your participation as he embarks on the search for a life-long companion and a new member of the royal family. If the eligible individual is interested, please fill out the enclosed form and return it to the palace._

_One man from each of the 35 provinces will be drawn at random to enter the Selection. Participants will be housed at the palace for the duration of their stay. The families of each participant will be generously compensated for their service to the royal family._

_Participants will take classes of several different subjects to improve their skills and etiquette. The prince will decide when and why any participant should be eliminated throughout the process and evaluations._

  
  


Hyunjin stopped reading. He was genuinely surprised. Male suitors? He honestly never imagined that the prince would be, well, gay. This news would definitely be everywhere. But more importantly, he had to disappoint his mother. 

  
  


“I’m not going to apply.” Hyunjin shook his head. He was always an obedient son, but this was something he simply would not do. 

  
  


“Hyunjin, listen to me,” her voice grew serious. 

  
  


“No!” he retaliated. He’d have to be stubborn if he wanted to escape his mother’s persuasion. “There’s a low chance I’d even get in, and I don’t want to either. I don’t want to go through these weird examinations, I don’t want to meet the prince… I don’t want to be royal. Mother, _please_.” 

  
  


She sighed, pain in her eyes. “I love you so much. You know I care about what you want, too. You know I really don’t want to force you. But I’m sorry sweetheart… this time I _need_ you to do this for us.”

  
  


Hyunjin didn’t have to ask why. 

  
  


When New Asia was first founded years ago back in 2023, they presented an improved and better functioning system of dividing class among citizens. It was called the Caste system. Depending on a person’s profession, they would fall under a numbered spectrum. It was argued that this would prevent chaos and keep peace between the people. This wasn’t always proved to be true, but there was nothing that could be done about it now.

  
  


Ones were royalty, the highest Caste. 

  
  


Twos were all celebrities, such as actors, models, famous singers, athletes, politicians, as well as officers in any policing, military, firefighting, or guarding position. 

  
  


Threes were educators, writers, scientists, doctors, dentists, engineers, lawyers, and so on. 

  
  


Fours were farm owners, merchants, property/business owners for things like restaurants, shops, and hotels.

  
  


Fives were classically trained musicians and all artists, dancers, and circus performers of any kind. 

  
  


Sixes were secretaries, housekeepers, cooks, drivers. 

  
  


Sevens were gardeners, farmhands, construction workers, almost all outdoor labourers. 

  
  


And lastly… Eights. They were the mentally or physically unwell, addicts, runaways, and the homeless. 

  
  


Hyunjin’s family was only three away from the bottom, Fives. His mother was an artist, while Hyunjin was a dancer. Then there was his father. He _used_ to be a musician, he played the cello. But now he was an Eight, a criminal, who ran away to the outskirts to escape prison. He never came back, probably because he was dead. There was no way of surviving in the outskirts. 

  
  


This happened only a month ago, and Hyunjin just wanted to forget about it all. He would’ve never imagined that his father was a thief. He wondered how many of those expensive gifts he had received on birthdays were actually stolen.

  
  


And his mother would cry every night, not only because she missed him, but because they were slowly growing poor. Due to her disheartened state, she started to work less on her paintings, so Hyunjin focused hard and spent extra hours on his dance to still be making enough money. 

  
  


So Hyunjin knew why his mother was desperate for him to try for the Selection. It didn’t matter if he was chosen in the end or not. As long as he stayed, they would continue to be _generously compensated_ as the letter had described. 

  
  


“Mother, if I do this for us, you have to promise me then that you’ll get back to work on your paintings, get your mind off of… him. Do _something_. I can’t bear to watch you like this anymore.” 

  
  


“Yes, I promise!” she smiled, a strange contrast to the bags under her eyes and her uncombed, disheveled hair. She pulled him into a tight hug. “Oh Hyunjin, you’re my favourite son!” 

  
  


“I’m your only son.”

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


A week later, Hyunjin was lying on his squeaky bed in his tiny bedroom, thinking about what might await him. There were a lot of people in his province that must’ve applied. The probability of his name getting drawn was so low, but he wanted a plan of what he’d do if he became one of the suitors. He was thinking that his main goal would be to stay as long as possible, get as much money for his family as he could, then drop out. 

  
  


“Ah but… dropping out after staying for so long...” he spoke to the ceiling in thought. Dropping out was an easy solution, but what if he did something outrageous to get himself eliminated instead? That would be much less suspicious. 

  
  


The sound coming from the TV broke him away from his thoughts. The _Capital Report_ was on, and Hyunjin dashed to sit beside his mother on the couch. She looked nervous, probably praying her son’s name would be called, while Hyunjin was wishing for the opposite. 

  
  


The King and Queen were sitting on their thrones, giving advice and talking about their own Selection experience. Hyunjin looked closely at the prince beside them. He had to admit, Changbin was attractive. But again, there was that same cold stare, a dazzling crown sitting atop his dark-haired head this time, and he was so stiff in his seat. Hyunjin didn’t like it, he was a dancer after all, constantly moving. 

  
  


The same reporter from last week was saying congratulations and other nonsense before he began to announce the winners of each province. A list of names and pictures had started to roll across the screen slowly, as the reporter read them out. Hyunjin’s mother gripped his hand tightly. 

  
  


“Mr. Lee Minho of XXX, Two.” A very charming-looking man with sharp features. He had caught Hyunjin’s eye among all the names so far, probably because he was the first Two to be called. But why did he look so familiar? 

  
  


“Wait a second… isn’t that the famous m-”

  
  


“Mr. Hwang Hyunjin of XXX, Five.” 

  
  


Hyunjin’s heart dropped. He was selected. _Selected_. 

  
  


His picture on the screen was horrendous, it was taken on a particularly bad hair day. And they had announced him after a Two. A _T_ _wo_ _!_ He looked like a complete loser. No way, no fucking way. 

  
  


His mother screamed, throwing her hands in the air, while Hyunjin just sat there, dejected, regretful. 

  
  


Then the phone rang. 

  
  


It was the first call of many. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


A few days later, it was finally time. The train ride to the capital was a long one, Hyunjin didn’t live in a province that was nearby. But it was exciting, and the view was nice. Blue and green. Sky and forest. 

  
  


On arrival, someone took all of Hyunjin’s bags from him and guided him through the palace gates up to the entrance. He stopped to look in a water fountain on the way, checking his reflection. He hadn’t done anything too extravagant. Just combed his hair straight, letting it fall naturally to his shoulders. He had picked to wear one of his more stylish outfits, beige pants and a coffee-coloured shirt. But they were still a bit worn out from overuse... Hyunjin didn’t have too many clothes in his closet. 

  
  


He finally glanced up at the palace then, and was in complete awe. Seeing it on the TV screen back home was nothing compared to real life. It was more grand, with a lavish, cream-coloured exterior, and as he entered, he was stepping onto shiny, polished marble floors. An elegant and ornate chandelier dangled from the high ceiling just above him, sparkling in the sunlight. What broke him out of the trance was the “Ahem,” coming from behind him. 

  
  


Hyunjin had already made his first mistake. 

  
  


Abruptly, he turned around to see the prince standing right there, right in front of him. He had to blink a few times, it felt a bit unreal since he’d only ever seen Changbin on TV. And he was surprisingly much shorter than Hyunjin had imagined. 

  
  


“Oh! Sorry, Your Highness,” Hyunjin gulped, trying to smile and look polite. It was hard when Changbin looked like he was scowling. He was more handsome in person, but even more scary. When he stretched his arm out for a handshake, Hyunjin very obviously flinched. He laughed it off nervously before taking Changbin’s hand with his sweaty one, shaking it weakly. 

  
  


He was supposed to try and appeal to the prince, to stay as long as he could, for the money. But he was already messing up big time. He could not afford to make another mistake. 

  
  


He had to do better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah… i used xxx, i was too lazy to come up with province names ><


	2. Changbin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here comes the crossover cameo along with a tragic backstory :(

Changbin sat silently in the palace library, several papers spread out before him. They were all the applications of the men whose names were drawn earlier that day on the _Capital Report_. He would be meeting them in a few days and he’d have to match faces to names. So one by one, he studied and memorized each of the thirty-five suitors.

  
  


He could see the palace staff rushing about through the large, open entryway of the library. Wardrobe preparations were being made, rooms being readied. The noise was distracting Changbin, so he sighed, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on the table. The Selection hadn’t even started yet but he was sick of it already. 

  
  


Slowly, he drifted into a much needed sleep. His thoughts traced back to memories of his childhood. 

  
  


New Asia was different back then. Changbin was different back then. He had lived through a time of war, just like everybody else, yet he was carefree and privileged. But not everything was easy for him. He lived in a fantasy world in his head because he had many dreams that would never come true, not while he was a prince. 

  
  


That cheerful, friendly little boy was gone after what happened to him. 

  
  


When he was about fifteen, Changbin had his first crush. It wasn’t on a girl, but that didn’t surprise him; he rarely saw young ladies at the palace. But the one person he saw every day was his personal guard, Wooyoung. He was a teenager too, only eighteen, and he was really handsome. Changbin would see him standing watch outside his bedroom when he’d go to sleep, it always made him feel so safe and protected. 

  
  


Eventually, he became Changbin’s first and only friend. Sometimes Changbin would let him sneak into his room to talk and eat food together. Wooyoung was his favourite person, he was in love with him. 

  
  


A year later, New Asia went to war with the neighbouring country Illéa, and all types of soldiers were drafted. This included Wooyoung. 

  
  


Changbin was lonely and scared, constantly worried about his best friend. But the war hadn’t lasted as long as they thought it would. Illéa had unexpectedly proposed an agreement to unite both the countries so further conflict could be prevented. Changbin never thought his older sister, who was supposed to be the queen of New Asia, would be wed to the youngest prince of Illéa. 

  
  


Changbin was left to take the throne. _Forced_ to take it. He had no other choice, he was the last heir of New Asia. But then he faced a bigger nightmare. Slowly the soldiers returned home from the war, and Changbin waited and watched, but who he was looking for never showed. Instead, his parents had sat him down, tried to break the news softly. They were aware of how much their son cared about this particular soldier. They informed him that Wooyoung had fought bravely and valiantly, but he was shot. Took a bullet to protect a fellow soldier. 

  
  


Changbin broke down. Was honouring Wooyoung as a self-sacrificing war hero supposed to make him feel better? He was dead either way, and that sent the prince spiralling. For days he screamed, cried, kicked and threw things. He cursed Wooyoung for leaving him just to save some random fucking soldier he didn’t give a shit about. Well, normally Changbin would care about the others too. But for this, he lost all rational thought. He was furious. 

  
  


This rage turned into depression. The young prince had barely mourned the death of the boy he loved, when suddenly he was thrown into preparation to become a future king. He was miserable. It was all hard work, sacrifice, no sleep, no friends, no happiness, no more fun and games. No fantasy world. 

  
  


Changbin became cold, emotionless. The grand wedding was held in Illéa, and it was the first time he had been on a plane, the first time he’d visited another country. Yet he felt nothing, no excitement, no joy. The day before, he had held his sister in his arms tightly, begging her not to leave him too. She was the only other person he had left after all. But the next thing he knew they were already on a plane back to New Asia without her. That day was the very last time he cried. 

  
  


Changbin was twenty-one now. It had been six years since then and he was somewhat healing. He was less bitter, but still quite reserved. Wooyoung’s loss and the absence of his sister still left a deep wound in his heart that would never truly go away. 

  
  


And then there was the Selection. Changbin’s father had told him it was time to find a suitor. He was getting sick and old, meaning Changbin might soon become King. And it was apparently vital that he have a companion to support him and to take care of him. 

  
  


Changbin didn’t argue with this, he had learned to say yes to everything his parents asked of him. He respected them greatly, especially since they had known about his liking towards Wooyoung. They were understanding and accepting, just as most of the nation fortunately was. His mother's words were, “Do whatever you want, my jewel.” 

  
  


“Illéa already will obtain an heir through their eldest prince. When your sister has child, he or she will be the heir of New Asia,” his father had added, which made Changbin chuckle. He hadn't really thought about heirs, but he was kind of glad things worked out in a way that he was able to look for a suitor of his preference. Not that it really mattered though, Changbin wasn’t using the Selection to fall in love, he just wanted to find a decent, dutiful companion as his father advised. Someone with good etiquette and a good heart.

  
  


“Your Highness?” a familiar voice spoke gently, pulling Changbin from his reminiscent thoughts. 

  
  


He inhaled sharply, lifting his head abruptly and fixing his suit, acting as if he had never fallen asleep. He glanced up at the curly-haired man, who in turn gazed down at the weary prince with a dimpled smile. 

  
  


“I told you to stop calling me that when we’re alone.”

  
  


Chan was a bit older than him, but the closest thing to a friend Changbin ever had after Wooyoung. He could only spend time with Chan secretly or discreetly though. He was one of the palace gardeners, a Seven, so they couldn’t exactly be seen together all the time. 

  
  


“Sorry, Your Highne- I mean Changbin,” Chan quickly corrected himself. Changbin sighed, shaking his head before rising out of his chair and patting the sturdy man on the shoulder. 

  
  


“You’ll get used to it,” he smiled. “Now, tell me what you’re here for.” 

  
  


“I just came to check on you, I knew you’d be dreading all of this rather than looking forward to it,” Chan's voice held genuine concern. 

  
  


This was why he liked Chan. He was a good friend, but above that, he understood Changbin more than anyone. He was the only person Changbin confided in about everything he’d been through and how he had felt. Chan was like his secret personal advisor, and even therapist. He also had all the skills and qualities of a leader, he could definitely make a better king than Changbin. Yet here he was, just a mere gardener giving advice to a clumsy prince. 

  
  


“Don’t worry about me, I’ll survive,” Changbin reassured him. “I just want to make certain that the person who’ll represent prince consort and stand by my side will be worthy of the position. So if any of the suitors repulse me, even just a little bit, I _will_ eliminate him.”

  
  


“You sound scary,” Chan pointed out. “Don’t make this hard on those poor boys, there’s a chance not all of them want to be here either. Remember your mother, the Queen’s story? She only applied as a joke and still got selected. She wanted to get herself eliminated but King Seo had fallen in love with her, so everything changed.”

  
  


“But I am not my father,” Changbin started gathering the applications. “I won’t be falling in love.”

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


A couple days later, the Selection had finally begun. Changbin was waiting at the entrance of the palace as each suitor arrived one by one. So many new faces to greet and hands to shake. After the fourteenth person, Changbin was already tired. There were still twenty-one people to get through, and it wasn’t going to end there for the day. There were going to be individual interviews later too. 

  
  


“Pleased to meet you, Your Highness!” A particularly bright boy in colourful clothing exclaimed, voice deep. His nose and cheeks were dotted with freckles, his hair a pale blonde. Changbin immediately recognized him from his earlier studying of the applications. He was the one with rather distinct features compared to the other suitors. His application had said he was half Illéan, just like Chan. It also said he worked at his family’s bakery, likely a Four, but Changbin couldn’t remember nor did he care. The Caste system was always ridiculous to him.

  
  


“Lee Felix,” Changbin nodded, putting on the same fake smile he was using for every suitor. “The pleasure is all mine. Welcome.”

  
  


Felix looked elated that Changbin knew his name, and offered a firm, excited handshake before heading inside. The prince watched him go, suddenly a bit fond of the boy. He had to admit, Felix was cute. 

  
  


A couple suitors later, another boy left a good impression. If Changbin was remembering correctly, his name was Kim Seungmin, a black-haired Three working as both a photographer and editor for a famous magazine. What stood out about him was that he already demonstrated the mannerisms of a prince. He was wearing neat, clean clothes, and he faced Changbin respectfully before lowering his head in a quick bow. It wasn’t common for people to bow anymore, and Seungmin was the first one to do it. 

  
  


Amusingly, the next suitor bowed as well, a bit awkwardly though. He might’ve looked a little silly, showing up in streetwear inappropriate for the day’s events, but Changbin thought he was rather clever for noticing how Seungmin’s etiquette had impressed him. But what really caught his eye was the boy’s intensely radiant blue hair and dark, striking eyeliner. There was no doubt in Changbin’s mind as he matched the boy’s face to his name. Han Jisung, another Three, music producer. His voice was a bit loud but similarly vibrant to Felix as he greeted Changbin and strolled inside with an exaggerated swagger. 

  
  


And the rest of the suitors went by just like that. Either they left a strong impression, or they didn't leave an impression at all. 

  
  


Once everyone was gathered inside, palace staff directed the suitors to different spots at a very lengthy dining table made specifically for the Selection. Seats were being assigned at random, yet some of the men were already making a fuss, they wanted to sit near the prince. Changbin was taking note of their names, he planned to hold the first eliminations by the end of the day. 

  
  


After everyone was seated and the room was silent, Changbin took his place at one end of the table, standing with the regal yet rigid posture he had adopted after years of practice. He informed the guests that after lunch was over, dessert would be served, and in the meantime, he’d be calling names one by one to have a private conversation with him. What he didn’t mention was that this ‘conversation’ was going to be more like an interview. 

  
  


Ten minutes into lunch, Changbin still had his head hung low as he ate. He knew the suitors sitting nearby wanted to say something, but he was hoping they wouldn't if he avoided eye contact. Unfortunately though, the man on his left spoke up. 

  
  


“Not enjoying yourself, Your Highness?” he remarked. 

  
  


Changbin glanced at him and realized it was the suitor who had charmingly kissed the back of his hand during the greetings from earlier. Changbin didn’t need to study this man’s face or memorize his name. Most people would recognize him, he was a Two after all, a celebrity. 

  
  


Lee Minho, famous model. He flashed Changbin a toothy smile as soon as he looked up.

  
  


“I can’t really say I’m enjoying myself so far, either,” he said a bit arrogantly, that winning smile still gracing his gorgeously sculpted face. His hair was a coppery orange, recently dyed for one of his latest shoots. Changbin had seen it in a magazine a couple days ago. And he was wearing expensive, branded clothing similar to what Changbin would wear when he wasn’t required to be in a suit. 

  
  


“Would you like me to have you eliminated then?” Changbin retorted, leaning back in his seat. 

  
  


“You can do whatever you want with me, Your Highness,” Minho quipped in a lowered voice, smirking at him. 

  
  


Changbin obviously didn’t have dating experience, and he never had the time to watch much TV nor read fiction books. So he had to guess if what Minho was doing right now was flirting, and it made him a little shy. He was suddenly realizing just how clueless and innocent he was when it came to romance. 

  
  


Minho must’ve noticed the slight blush dusting Changbin’s cheeks, because he whispered, “Cute,” to himself before going back to his food. 

  
  


Changbin clearly heard this, Minho meant for him to hear it. He just didn’t know how to feel. He was partially embarrassed but surprisingly intrigued. Minho was confident, which Changbin liked, but he was also playful and witty. An interesting character. 

  
  


The rest of lunch went by quietly, with a little bit of chatter among some of the suitors. When dessert was served, Changbin entered a different room and the interviews had begun. They went in order of how people were seated at the table, so Minho was invited first. 

  
  


“We meet again so soon,” he was wearing a smug grin as he sauntered inside, sitting in the plush chair across from the prince. Changbin hummed in response, pulling out Minho’s application.

  
  


The interviews were all fairly quick, each one giving Changbin more insight on his guests. He was nearly through them all. 

  
  


One of the last few suitors made his way inside after being called, sitting down a bit nervously. Changbin recognized him as the boy who almost walked past, almost forgot to greet Changbin at the palace doors earlier that day. Hwang Hyunjin. 

  
  


He was rather tall and lithe, his hair a long blonde, soft and delicate features. He was honestly really pretty, but Changbin was otherwise not very impressed. Not yet, at least. 

  
  


“Good aft-”

  
  


“I want to apologize again for earlier,” Hyunjin interrupted, then covering his mouth. “Oh! Sorry I- I didn’t mean to cut you off!”

  
  


Changbin didn’t say anything in response to the boy's panicked apology. 

  
  


“Good afternoon Hyunjin.”

  
  


“Good afternoon…” he replied, sinking in his chair, likely from embarrassment. 

  
  


Changbin then asked him some general questions, and a few personal ones. 

  
  


“And what made you want to be a dancer?”

  
  


“Well, I’ve just loved to dance for as long as I can remember. I would also say I have a natural-born talent for it, but I’m still always practicing hard to do even better. I don’t believe there’s an end to improvement, no limit to perfecting your skills.”

  
  


Changbin was making a mental note. _Hard-working. Determined. Humble._

  
  


“Hmm… tell me about your family.”

  
  


Hyunjin seemed to pause at this, thinking, fidgeting with his fingers. 

  
  


“My mother is an artist, she's really good! She’d be honoured to paint something nice for the palace.”

  
  


“And your father?”

  
  


“He…” Hyunjin was hesitant, avoiding eye contact. “He’s an Eight. Ran away to avoid his jail sentence. I’m not sure where he is, or if he’s even alive.”

  
  


Changbin nodded. “Sorry to hear that.”

  
  


Good. He was checking to see if Hyunjin would be honest, and he was. 

  
  


“Thank you for speaking with me Hyunjin, you may return to your dessert.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise! wooyoung from ateez because him and changbin are the best besties <3 and i hope you guys will like minho in this story. minbin are my guilty pleasure so there's more to come ;) also where my bluesung enthusiasts at?


	3. Hyunjin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> introducing a new character soon!

So much for doing better. 

  
  


It was like Hyunjin kept making mistake after mistake, and he could tell Changbin was getting frustrated too. 

  
  


When he was called in for the ‘private conversation,’ he tried to be confident, he really did. But as soon as the door closed behind him and he was alone in the room with that man, Hyunjin grew nervous. 

  
  


Changbin looked very posh, sitting comfortably across from him, leaned back with his legs crossed. He wasn’t saying anything, just awkwardly staring, like he was studying him. Hyunjin took this as a chance to apologize once more for how he had acted that morning, he hadn’t meant to ignore the prince, he was simply captivated by the beauty of the palace. 

  
  


But all Hyunjin ended up doing was accidentally interrupting what Changbin was about to say, and he panicked. Changbin looked annoyed, just continuing on with what he was saying. He was asking Hyunjin very simple questions, and Hyunjin was mostly giving him very short, vague answers. He just wasn’t prepared, he didn’t know this was going to be like an interview. 

  
  


And he most certainly wasn’t prepared to be asked about his father, but he answered with the truth. He was raised to never lie, and of course, Hyunjin did sometimes. But there was no way to change his father or what he did, Hyunjin had to accept his life for the way it was. 

  
  


Once he was dismissed, Hyunjin returned to his spot at the dining table, anxiously scarfing down the piece of red velvet cake on his plate. If there were going to be eliminations that day, he was surely on the list. And why would Hyunjin be a good option, anyway? With his father’s criminal record, even the public would want him gone. 

  
  


Not long after dessert was over, the guests were being escorted to their rooms. They were led out of the dining hall and towards the grand, intricate staircase that split two ways from the center. As Hyunjin followed the others, he briefly glanced back at the dining hall. From where he was, he could just barely see a handful of suitors gathered around Changbin. He couldn’t hear what was being said, but he did see half of them storm away in outrage. He suddenly understood what was happening.

  
  


Just as Hyunjin feared, the prince had already done the first eliminations. 

  
  


And he wasn’t one of them.

  
  


Hyunjin tried to think of reasons why Changbin would want to keep him, but he really couldn’t think of any. It left him utterly confused. 

  
  


His thoughts faded when he arrived at his room. Just as everything else in the palace, it was extremely luxurious. The bathroom alone was the size of Hyunjin’s bedroom back home. His luggage was already waiting inside, the worn-out suitcase he had brought looking completely out of place on the extravagantly designed rug. The wooden bedframe had an ornate pattern carved into it, the sheets a milky white, the pillows fluffy. The bed was king-sized, it made Hyunjin wonder how big the actual King’s bed must be. There was also a set of two armchairs with a small circular table between them. They were by the window that took up most of the wall, the curtains were drawn back allowing plenty of sunlight to spill into the room.

  
  


Hyunjin moved closer and he realized there was a glass door that led to a cute little balcony overlooking the gorgeous palace gardens. He stepped out onto it and placed his hands on the thick stone railing, closing his eyes and basking in the warmth. The peace of the moment was broken by the sound of a camera shutter. His eyes shot open and he glanced around, finding one of the other suitors out on his own balcony right next to Hyunjin’s. He was holding a camera aimed at the boy, but on seeing him staring, he lowered it quickly.

  
  


“Please don’t be alarmed,” the stranger began. “I’m a professional photographer. I enjoyed your pose, it made for a pretty picture. But I can delete it if you want me to.”

  
  


“Who are you?” Hyunjin asked instead, stepping as close as the railing would let him. 

  
  


“I’m Seungmin,” he waved. “Nice to meet you… ?”

  
  


“Hyunjin,” he waved back. “You can keep the picture.”

  
  


“Thanks! Want to see it?”

  
  


And that was why Seungmin had come to Hyunjin’s room, sitting at the chairs by the window, looking at the photos in Seungmin’s camera. 

  
  


“Wow, these are amazing! I love taking pictures too, but I wish I was this good,” Hyunjin marveled. 

  
  


“Well, you have your own talents! What do _you_ do?” 

  
  


“I dance… but it’s not something many people get to see, unlike your photos that go in famous magazines and are shown on billboards.”

  
  


“Hey, you might get there one day, you never know. And someone like you can even become a celebrity, you could become a Two.”

  
  


“I don’t want to be famous. I’ll probably become conceited and vain, like that Minho guy.”

  
  


Hyunjin never thought that an actual celebrity would be joining the Selection. He remembered being quite surprised seeing Minho get selected back when he was watching the _Capital Report_ with his mother. 

  
  


“You mean the model? That’s here?” Seungmin chuckled. “He’s not like that at all actually. A bit arrogant, yes, but he’s a good guy.”

  
  


“Wait, you know him?” 

  
  


“Yeah, of course. We’ve worked together. He’s modeled quite a few times for our magazine.”

  
  


“Oh wow, well at least you have a friend here. It’d be nice not to be alone.”

  
  


“No no, we’re not close or anything like that. Just colleagues, really. But I agree it’ll be nice to have a friend here. I mean… you and I could be friends?”

  
  


“You’re very straightforward,” Hyunjin chuckled. “I would love that. Embarrassingly enough, I’ve never had a proper friend. I guess people just don’t really like me.” 

  
  


“That’s nonsense, I just met you and I can confirm you’re very likable.”

  
  


“Thank you,” Hyunjin smiled, but it turned into a frown not a moment later. “The prince probably doesn’t think so.”

  
  


“No way, did you see he already eliminated eleven suitors? _Eleven._ ”

  
  


“What!?” Hyunjin exclaimed, shocked by the number. 

  
  


“Yep. I counted. Only twenty-four of us are left,” Seungmin was just as baffled. “But the fact that we made it past the first day means something. So the prince _does_ like you, even if it’s for a small reason.”

  
  


Hyunjin felt more reassured at that. If he tried harder, he might be able to stay longer. He wondered if his mother already got the first payment. He’d have to call her later and ask, she’d probably be ecstatic. 

  
  


“Don’t worry about it too much. I know it’s old advice but, just be yourself,” Seungmin grinned, standing up and patting Hyunjin on the shoulder. “I’m gonna go unpack and stuff. See you later?”  
  


“Yeah, see you!”

  
  


As soon as the door closed, Hyunjin walked over and threw himself onto his massive bed, letting out a content sigh. So maybe the first day wasn’t so bad. He’d made a few mistakes but Changbin had kept him regardless, _and_ he’d made a friend. A friend!

  
  


With happy thoughts circling his mind, Hyunjin drifted away into a late afternoon nap. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


_Knock knock knock._

  
  


Hyunjin murmured, shifting around on the soft sheets sleepily. 

  
  


_Knock knock knock._

  
  


“Not right now, mum,” he groaned, throwing a pillow over his head. 

  
  


Silence.

  
  


“Please wake up Mr. Hwang,” a gentle but unfamiliar voice suddenly called, and Hyunjin sat up abruptly. 

  
  


He rubbed at his face, blinking his eyes a couple times before his vision of the figure at his bedside unblurred. It was a young-looking boy wearing a neat, navy blue uniform. He had fluffy, chocolate-coloured hair and pointed facial features. 

  
  


“Good evening, sir!” the new face smiled. “I am Jeongin. Your personal servant.”

  
  


“Servant…” Hyunjin mumbled sleepily, before his eyes shot open in realization. “Servant!? No no no no, it’s okay. I don’t want- I don’t need one.”

  
  


Hyunjin waved his arms around, a bit flustered. Jeongin looked about his age, maybe a little younger. He couldn’t ask the poor boy to do anything for someone like him. Jeongin was likely a Six, but Hyunjin was also just a mere Five, only one Caste above him. 

  
  


“I am sorry Mr. Hwang, but I need to do my job or I will get fired. You can use the term 'attendant' or 'servitor' if you'd prefer.”

  
  


Hyunjin didn’t want Jeongin to lose his job, but he still felt bad. Nonetheless, he agreed to let the sweet boy serve him dinner in bed. Hyunjin hadn’t realized it but he had slept until it was dark outside, probably because of the exhaustingly long train ride. 

  
  


Jeongin was about to go but Hyunjin asked him to stay. He didn’t want to eat alone. 

  
  


“Of course! I’ll keep you company, sir,” Jeongin spoke enthusiastically, sitting down on the rug. 

  
  


“What are you doing? Come here,” Hyunjin waved him over to sit on the side of the bed. 

  
  


Jeongin hesitantly obeyed, seating himself on the edge uncomfortably. 

  
  


“Don’t feel awkward, Jeongin. You can use or do whatever you want in my room freely, I don’t mind. And please talk casually with me, the formalities make me feel weird. Like, don’t call me sir, or Mr. Hwang.”

  
  


“Really? Okay, thanks!” the boy hopped up onto the bed properly, facing Hyunjin and sitting cross-legged. There was suddenly a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

  
  


“Wha- So that was all an act…” Hyunjin chuckled in realization, chewing food in his mouth as he spoke. “I like you.”

  
  


“I guess you’re not that bad either,” Jeongin shrugged, reaching out and shamelessly taking a piece of chicken from Hyunjin’s plate. He was surprised at how brazen Jeongin suddenly was. A funny kid. Hyunjin was glad he wasn’t given someone bland and robotic. 

  
  


“Well truthfully, I’m happy with you,” Jeongin then said. “This is obviously my first time being a personal _attendant_ for a guest of the Selection, but I’ve heard stories from the others about how some of them were scolded and yelled at.”

  
  


“Seriously?” Hyunjin frowned. That was upsetting to hear. But Hyunjin knew, more than most people, that the Caste system allowed this sort of behaviour to be tolerated.

  
  


After about an hour of the two chatting and sharing Hyunjin’s meal, Jeongin got up and went into the bathroom. Hyunjin assumed he was using it, but the boy came out a couple minutes later with a rolled-up sleeve and a wet hand.

  
  


“The bath’s ready.” 

  
  


“Oh, Jeongin, you don’t have to,” Hyunjin started, but he just rolled his eyes. 

  
  


“Shut up and get in. I know I’m being informal now but I still want to do my job. I enjoy it.”

  
  


Hyunjin chuckled at that, easily giving up and heading towards the bathroom. It had a large, ceramic bathtub in the middle of the unnecessarily vast space, filled to the brim with warm water and lavender. He began unbuttoning his shirt, and Jeongin came up behind him to help pull it off, taking his dirty clothes away after Hyunjin had fully stripped. 

  
  


He hissed as the cool air hit his bare skin. It was a bit awkward to have Jeongin in there with him while he was naked, but it was clear the boy was least concerned. He brought over a bottle of shampoo as Hyunjin lowered himself into the water, loosening up and laying his head back. 

  
  


“Hey, you have to sit up, dummy,” Jeongin lightly pushed him forward, and Hyunjin laughed, which turned into a whine when the boy suddenly poured water over his head. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t complain though, because the way Jeongin was massaging the shampoo into his scalp felt _so_ good. It was weird, he'd never had this kind of privilege before. It would take some time getting used to. 

  
  


“Nobody’s helped me bathe before other than my mum,” Hyunjin voiced his thoughts. “You’re really gentle, you know? I wouldn’t expect that from you.”

  
  


“Would you rather I pull your hair?” Jeongin playfully tugged his head back.

  
  


“Ah- ow- no, sorry,” Hyunjin’s laughter echoed off the bathroom walls. 

  
  


He was really happy. He hadn’t laughed this much in a long time. With no friends and no siblings, he didn’t get to have fun and play around a lot. Jeongin was kind of like the little brother he always wished he had. 

  
  


After the most luxurious bath of his life, Hyunjin sat on his bed wearing the silk pajamas Jeongin gave to him. Apparently, all the suitors had been provided with an entire walk-in closet full of expensive clothes, shoes, and accessories. What even was the point of Hyunjin bringing his own stuff? 

  
  


“I think I know why Prince Changbin didn’t eliminate you today,” Jeongin commented, sitting behind Hyunjin as he brushed the boy’s long golden hair just as gently as he had washed it. 

  
  


“And that is?” 

  
  


“You’re kind, modest… and you look that way too. Innocent and pretty, with a surprisingly sexy body.”

  
  


Hyunjin laughed chaotically at that, turning around and poking Jeongin’s shoulder accusingly. 

  
  


“I knew you were checking me out!”

  
  


“I wasn’t! Come on, you were naked and I was bathing you. I didn’t do it with my eyes closed.” 

  
  


“Yeah yeah…” Hyunjin giggled, turning back. 

  
  


“I swear! I am not into you, into men. Just so you know, there’s this cute maid I like.”

  
  


“Ooo, tell me more.”

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


It had been hours since Jeongin left, but Hyunjin still couldn’t sleep. He knew this would happen since he had slept most of the afternoon. So he got out of bed, peeking past the curtains to see outside. It was pitch black, the garden lights had been switched off. He padded over to the bedroom door, opening it slowly and quietly before stepping out and peering into the darkness. There was supposed to be a guard watching that hallway but there was nobody outside.

  
  


He was hungry and bored. This was his chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hyunjin should've stayed in his room... or maybe not ;)


	4. Changbin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor bin :(

Changbin couldn’t sleep properly that night, which was a normal occurrence. He’d often have flashbacks to the most miserable time of his life. He sighed, turning towards his bedside table and pulling out a handful of photos from the top drawer. This is what he always did to himself after waking up from his dreams of the past. He’d look at the memories of the people he loved and missed.

  
  


He went through the pictures, using the moonlight pouring into his room to see. There was a silly one of him at age four, sitting with his older sister in the palace gardens, dirt on their hands and knees. They were digging a hole to hide treasure, said treasure being the King’s crown. Changbin still remembered his father’s face when they were caught, while his mother laughed and took photos. 

  
  


There was another picture, one of fifteen-year-old Changbin asleep on his bed with Wooyoung after having spent all night talking and snacking. There were crumbs all over the bed, chocolate smeared on their faces… good times. Changbin smiled, that same broken smile every night he did this to himself. 

  
  


Eventually he had made himself sad enough, and he shook his head, tucking the photos back in the drawer. He grabbed his night robe, throwing it over his bare shoulders and tying it on. Usually taking a short walk around the palace would tire him out enough to get a few more hours of sleep in. 

  
  


Changbin was peacefully strolling down his favourite hallway, one side holding portraits of the royal family from generations ago until the present, and the other side had a towering window, the full moon shining brightly and casting an iridescent glow on the marble floors. As he turned the corner, a tall figure bumped right into him, almost causing the both of them to fall over. But Changbin steadied himself, holding the person in front of him by the arms. 

  
  


He glanced up to see long blonde hair and plump lips, the unmistakable features of Hwang Hyunjin. He was wearing silk pajamas, ones that were a pretty lilac in colour. They were a bit small for him though, not fully reaching his wrists or ankles, and that's when Changbin also noticed he was barefoot. What was the boy doing out of his room? The guard at his hallway should’ve stopped him from leaving. 

  
  


“Y-Your Highness,” Hyunjin’s mouth fell open, probably not expecting to have run into the prince of all people. 

  
  


“Care to explain what you’re doing here at this hour?”

  
  


“Nothing!” he answered quickly. “Well, the truth is I… I snuck out. I’m sorry but I just couldn’t sleep, and I didn’t want to stay in my bedroom.”

  
  


Changbin noted Hyunjin’s honesty for the second time, but also the strangely comforting fact that for once he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t able to sleep. 

  
  


“And now you can’t find your way back, I presume,” he gazed into Hyunjin’s lost eyes. 

  
  


“Apologies, Your Highness, but the palace is like an opulent maze.”

  
  


Changbin chuckled quietly at that, about to look for a palace guard to guide Hyunjin back. But then the boy’s stomach grumbled loudly in the silence of the hallway, and he glanced away from the prince in embarrassment. 

  
  


“You’re hungry,” Changbin almost snorted. “Come with me.”

  
  


And so now they were in the prince’s bedroom, where Changbin had not expected to be bringing any of his guests. He easily could’ve gotten one of the guards to fetch Hyunjin something from the kitchen and then send him on his way. But for some reason unknown to him, he wanted to keep the boy a little longer, and this was his excuse. 

  
  


“Help yourself,” Changbin offered, as he set out chocolates and cookies on the coffee table in the center of the room. These were the same special snacks he’d always share with Wooyoung, and he was surprised at himself for doing so with Hyunjin now, someone he had just met. 

  
  


“Hyunjin?” he turned around to see the boy absorbed in exploring Changbin’s bedroom. It was obviously much larger than the ones provided for the suitors, and more lavish, more royal. It belonged to a future king after all. 

  
  


“Oh, yes, sorry!” Hyunjin put down the rose-scented candle he was smelling and hurried over, sinking into the incredibly plush armchair Changbin had pulled out for him. 

  
  


“If you’d like to eat something more healthy, then I do have fruits here as well,” he suggested.

  
  


“No no, this is perfect, thank you,” Hyunjin assured him, slowly reaching out for one of the chocolates and barely hiding the bliss on his face as he bit into it. 

  
  


“They’re good right? My favourites. Consider yourself lucky you ran into me today,” Changbin reached for one himself, closing his eyes contentedly at the sweet, familiar taste. 

  
  


Hyunjin hummed in response, trying out one of the cookies as well. 

  
  


“Are you uncomfortable being in here with me, Hyunjin?” Changbin wondered aloud, noticing how quiet the boy was. 

  
  


“Uhm… a little bit,” he admitted. 

  
  


Again, so honest. Changbin was beginning to like that a lot about Hyunjin. He could’ve easily lied, but he didn’t, no matter how awkward or embarrassing the truth may be. 

  
  


“And why is that?”

  
  


“Well, I thought that you would eliminate me, considering how I presented myself yesterday,” Hyunjin bit his lip. “Frankly, I’m confused as to why you chose to keep me.”

  
  


Changbin realized he had nothing to say to that. He still wasn’t sure why he had kept Hyunjin either. The boy clearly had an unrefined etiquette, and he did things like sneaking out of his room at night when he shouldn’t. It was quite peculiar, he couldn’t understand why he felt sort of drawn to Hyunjin like he wanted to get to know him better. He never imagined he’d already become so engaged in the Selection just after the first day. He never imagined he’d take any interest in it at all. 

  
  


Perhaps it was because he wasn’t used to socializing, and now he was enjoying it. Or was he just secretly craving human interaction with someone new this whole time? Was he that tired of only seeing the palace staff and his parent’s faces every day? 

  
  


Probably. 

  
  


“I kept you because you’re one of the least pretentious people here,” Changbin finally answered, and it was the truth, just not the full truth. “It is a good quality to be accepting of yourself as you are. Not allowing yourself to act anything less or above than what is your reality.” 

  
  


Hyunjin awkwardly glanced down at the chocolate in his hand, seeming unsure of how to respond. So Changbin saved him from having to say anything. 

  
  


“Allow me to escort you back to your room then,” he stood up from his chair, fixing his robe. “Assuming you’ve had enough sweets for the night?”

  
  


“Oh! Yes, I have. Thank you so much for sharing them with me,” Hyunjin got out of his seat as well, following Changbin to the door. “Wait, you don’t need to take me, Your Highness! Just tell me the directions.”

  
  


“Don’t be silly, I don’t want you losing your way again,” Changbin opposed. “Or at least allow my guard to escort you if not me.” 

  
  


He opened the door to the guard outside, speaking with him briefly before turning back to Hyunjin and hopping out of his slippers. 

  
  


“Wear these. Don’t go back barefoot,” Changbin insisted. “I can get new ones.”

  
  


Hyunjin looked flustered, but he silently did as he was told, murmuring another thank you before following the guard out. Changbin closed the door, pausing for a moment as he stared at the ground. 

  
  


God, what was wrong with him?

  
  


Since when did he do things like this? Since when did he secretly eat chocolates with a boy late at night or care enough to give him his slippers? 

  
  


_Wooyoung_. Since Wooyoung. 

  
  


Perhaps it was finally time for Changbin to forget the past. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and fall in love again!


	5. Hyunjin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and now, we begin the dating process ;)

Hyunjin did end up sleeping a few hours when he had returned to his room that night. 

  
  


But mostly he was thinking about the prince. 

  
  


He was thinking about how Changbin had laughed when they ran into each other. How his whole face had lit up. How a smile made him look like a completely different person.

  
  


He was thinking about the fact that he was brought into Changbin’s _bedroom._ How he had kindly put out the most delectable treats for Hyunjin to eat. How he had given him a compliment, even if it was a bit of an odd one.

  
  


He was thinking about how Changbin had politely offered to escort him back to his room. How he was concerned that Hyunjin was barefoot. How he had given him his slippers to use. 

  
  


Changbin was not the heartless, uptight bore that Hyunjin initially thought he’d be. 

  
  


But most of all, he was thinking about how attractive Changbin had looked, embarrassingly enough. How he was wearing an intricately embroidered silk robe that was almost glowing in the moonlight, glowing an alluring crimson. And how it was tied loosely, exposing the bare expanse of his chest just a bit. His dark hair fell messily around his eyes, those striking eyes that Hyunjin was afraid of just the day before.

  
  


And he could still remember vividly... how Hyunjin had left with the guard, but he was first pulled back by the elbow gently. Changbin’s mouth was by his ear, whispering, “Make sure not to tell anyone you were here, or they’ll all want to come.” 

  
  


His warm breath against Hyunjin’s skin caused a shiver to crawl down his spine, and he swallowed back a squeak, scurrying off with the guard and not looking back. 

  
  


Hyunjin screamed into his pillow. What was wrong with him?

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


It had been three weeks already since Hyunjin had last seen Changbin. 

  
  


It kind of made him upset. 

  
  


It was announced that the first round of ‘dating’ would take place throughout the month. Each day, Changbin would go out with a different suitor and do activities of his choice in an attempt to entertain the prince. He could be eliminated by the end of the date, or even during it. Meanwhile, the rest of the suitors would be taking politics, war strategy, etiquette, disciplinary courses, and more. It was like going to school, and Hyunjin hated it.

  
  


In those three weeks, twenty-one suitors had gone on dates, and three of them were still waiting to go. Felix, Minho, and Hyunjin. When the schedule had come out, Hyunjin was placed as the very last one. Why? He could only assume it was because of the first night of the Selection, when he had snuck out of his room like an idiot. 

  
  


Still, the boy didn’t want to wait any longer. He dreaded waking up early every day and heading to classes from morning till evening, his only free time being the couple of hours before bed. His nightly routine consisted of Jeongin eating dinner with him in his bedroom, giving him a lavender bath, brushing his hair, chatting and joking around before he’d have to go. Hyunjin would also call his mother every night, and she always sounded so delighted, which made him glad. After all, he was only doing this for her, for the money. 

  
  


Currently, Hyunjin was seated at the half-empty dining table and having lunch with the remaining suitors before they all had class. From the people who had already gone on dates with Changbin, most had been eliminated. The duration of every Selection always depended on how eliminations were done. On average, it was supposed to be at least a six-month process, but it looked like Changbin’s Selection would last three. 

  
  


Hyunjin was sitting with the friend group he had made over the weeks. These four had gotten really close, partly because they found out they were all the same age. There was Seungmin of course, who he had met on the very first day, but there were two new suitors he had befriended. 

  
  
  


There was the music producer guy, Jisung, who sometimes got on Hyunjin’s nerves because he was so loud and had no filter. But he was super funny and had a really cool style, Hyunjin loved his bright blue hair. The best thing about him though, was that he promised to make an original track that Hyunjin could one day create his own choreography to.

  
  


Then there was Felix, the liveliest and happiest person Hyunjin had probably ever met. He was really cute, possessing some of the features of a native Illéan. He always wore soft, pastel-coloured clothes, even his hair was a pale blonde. He had a distinct, deep voice, but it still sounded so kind and sweet. Hyunjin thought he was a fairy.

  
  


At the table, Seungmin and Jisung were talking about their dates. The two of them had just recently gone and were successful in not getting eliminated. Seungmin had taken Changbin all around the palace and the gardens, taking pictures of him as he posed, and even teaching him how to use the camera. Apparently, Changbin had really enjoyed it, as well as Jisung’s day plan of listening to music and explaining how music is produced. 

  
  


It seemed like everyone had planned their dates according to their jobs and talents. But what could Hyunjin do? Dance for him? Teach him how to dance? He would be too nervous for that, too nervous for anything involving his dance. Because of the Selection, he hadn’t had time to practice, so he probably wouldn’t be able to do his best. Hyunjin spent the rest of the day trying to think of a good plan instead of focusing on his classes. 

  
  


“Mr. Hwang! Are you listening? Please pay attention, you _must_ lift your pinky finger.”

  
  


“Yes sir.”

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


It was finally time. Hyunjin’s date. 

  
  


Just the night before, Jeongin had given him the brilliant idea of simply going on a picnic in the palace gardens. It was nice for once, not getting ready for class, but instead getting dolled up… sort of. Jeongin had put him in denim shorts and a mustard tee, tying his hair back into a high ponytail with a pretty ribbon. He said Hyunjin should wear something cute and summery that he brought from home rather than the expensive stuff in his walk-in closet. 

  
  


Hyunjin always let Jeongin dress him however he wanted. He never really cared about clothes or fashion that much. But he drew the line at the idea of wearing shorts. 

  
  


“I never brought these to wear in front of the prince!” Hyunjin retaliated. The shorts reached mid-thigh, and he felt like that was exposing too much leg. Jeongin reasoned that Changbin would like it, but the idea only flustered him. 

  
  


It was too late now though. There was a knock at the door. Changbin was there to be taken for his date. Jeongin quickly smeared a pink tint on Hyunjin’s lips, handing him the picnic basket he had prepared before opening the door and shoving him out. 

  
  


Changbin caught the stumbling boy in his arms, helping him regain balance. 

  
  


“Your servant...” 

  
  


“It’s okay, I don’t really mind. I like him,” Hyunjin chuckled. Then he realized he was seeing the prince after such a long time, and he stepped back, shy. 

  
  


Changbin looked really good, really sophisticated compared to Hyunjin. He was wearing branded dress pants with a plain white shirt tucked in, the top few buttons undone. The sleeves were rolled up a bit, and he stood waiting with his hand in his pocket, an expensive watch adorning his wrist. 

  
  


Hyunjin looked way out of his league. He would have to have a _talk_ with Jeongin later for putting him in something so casual and childish, even if it was fit for the occasion. 

  
  


“Long time no see, huh? What’s the plan, Mr. Hwang?” Changbin grinned. 

  
  


That was new; Changbin being playful and smiley. Three weeks of dates must’ve changed him. 

  
  


“We’re going on a picnic,” Hyunjin revealed the picnic basket he was holding behind him, heading in the direction of the palace gardens. 

  
  


“A picnic?” Changbin walked beside him, sounding intrigued. “Finally, I was wanting to do an activity outside. How did you know?”

  
  


“I didn’t,” Hyunjin glanced at him. “Were all the other dates mainly within the palace walls?”

  
  


“Sadly, yes. This is why I placed you last. I had a feeling you’d have something different planned, something refreshing.”

  
  


“O-Oh...” Hyunjin tried not to sound nervous. Changbin seemed to really be looking forward to their date, he could _not_ mess this up. 

  
  


As soon as they arrived at the gardens, Hyunjin spotted Felix sitting on a bench with a curly-haired man. From the way he was dressed, he looked like he might be a palace gardener. When they walked by, Hyunjin overheard them wistfully talking about Illéa. Maybe they were both from there? Felix saw the pair and waved, a big smile on his face as he winked at Hyunjin. The gardener looked up as well, giving Changbin a smug look. Did they know each other? 

  
  


After finding a shady spot beneath a tree, Hyunjin placed out the picnic blanket, slipping his sneakers off and sitting down cross-legged. Changbin copied him, watching the boy pull sandwiches and other treats out of the basket. Hyunjin chuckled quietly to himself. Had the prince never been on a picnic before? It was awkwardly silent, the only sound coming from Changbin’s small sips of lemonade. 

  
  


“Are you close with that man?” Hyunjin suddenly wondered aloud. “The one sitting with Felix.”

  
  


“Oh. Well... well, yes,” Changbin looked like he was hesitating to say it. “That is Chan. We’re friends. But don’t disclose that information to anyone else.”

  
  


“Why? Because he’s a Seven?”

  
  


“I don’t like it either but I have no choice. I am a prince, I cannot be known to have personal relationships with low Castes.” 

  
  


“ _I’m_ a low Caste…” Hyunjin stopped chewing, slowly putting his sandwich down. It suddenly hit him that he was the only Five, the lowest Caste among all the suitors. He was the least worthy of being in the presence of a One. 

  
  


“No that’s- that’s different. You’re not. Hyunjin…” Changbin leaned forward a bit, trying to get the boy to look up at him. “Don’t think like that, I thought I told you I was looking forward to today.”

  
  


“But you shouldn’t have.”

  
  


“Fuck the Caste system,” Changbin suddenly growled, and Hyunjin jumped a bit. He glanced up in slight surprise at the unexpected outburst. 

  
  


“It doesn’t matter where you come from or how wealthy your family is. Aren’t we all human?” Changbin realized he had startled Hyunjin, so he quickly softened his tone, staring down at his drink and releasing a sigh. “Believe it or don’t, but I wish I was never a prince. I could be traveling, meeting tons of new people, being free to do whatever I want. But instead, I’m stuck here in this one place, with the same people. I rarely get to enjoy myself when a whole country depends on me. I know I’m not a very good leader, and still, I have no other choice but to lead. I can’t neglect my duty, my responsibility to the people of New Asia. I’ll have to keep living this life deprived of... everything I’ve always dreamed about, dreamed of having. It is a sacrifice I must make as future King.” 

  
  


Hyunjin was stunned silent. He never expected that a One could feel this way. He never realized that the prince would feel burdened by his title. He had been ignorant, thinking that to be royalty meant to have everything and anything you wanted. But here Changbin was, feeling trapped. 

  
  


“Your Highness… I’m so sorry to hear that,” Hyunjin had no idea what else to say. 

  
  


“No, it’s alright. I apologize for springing my troubles on you like that when we should be having a peaceful picnic,” Changbin scoffed at himself. “I hope you will forget that I cursed the system.”

  
  


“No can do,” Hyunjin laughed at that, and the mood instantly lightened. “Just get rid of it one day, when you’re King.”

  
  


“I’ll try my best. I really will.”

  
  


Hyunjin was most gratified to hear that. If Changbin thought the Caste system was ridiculous, it might actually be removed someday. Just the thought that there was a possibility to live in a world without it made him feel so relieved.

  
  


On the very first day, Changbin had made his skin crawl. And now? Hyunjin was starting to feel like he wasn’t just doing the Selection for the money anymore. 

  
  


He’d never admit it to his mother, but he was actually enjoying it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> looks like someones smitten <3


	6. Changbin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeongin wasn't wrong, jeongin is never wrong. he knows exactly what he's doing ;)

Changbin was feeling good about the progress of the Selection so far. He knew he was doing eliminations at a fast pace, but it was obvious some of the men just wanted to get in his pants, while others just wanted the title and wealth of a One. Anyone who had intentions of manipulating the prince had to be rid of. 

  
  


The last three dates were his favourites, though. 

  
  


One of them was with Felix, the cheerful boy had taken him to the palace kitchen to make brownies together. Changbin had almost never been in the kitchen until then, and it was exciting. But he was doing an awful job, spilling flour everywhere, struggling to crack the eggs, even mistaking the salt for the sugar. Felix was so patient yet amused, giggling at the prince and fixing his messes. Miraculously, the brownies still came out of the oven looking perfect and delicious, Changbin couldn’t stop praising the freckled boy. Even the King and Queen had followed the tantalizing aroma into the kitchen, and everyone was enjoying the baked goods together. 

  
  


Changbin’s father had pulled him aside to say that even though they were able to form ties with Illéa through his older sister, it would look even better if he wedded a half-Illéan too. Changbin did understand the benefits of marrying Felix, but after the date, he realized he had no romantic interest in the boy. Spending time with him felt more like spending time with a little brother. But for that reason too, he could not eliminate Felix. He was like a ray of sunshine, a mood-maker. Changbin still wanted to be around him, maybe more as a friend next time. He easily told this to Felix, who didn’t mind at all. In fact, he said he felt the same way. 

  
  


And then there was his date with Minho. 

  
  


Minho’s servant had let Changbin in because he was out on the balcony and hadn't heard the knock. Changbin opened the glass sliding door and sidled up behind him, tapping the older boy on the shoulder. He wasn’t startled, turning around to face the prince in a graceful manner. Changbin hadn’t even greeted him yet, he just stood there staring like a fool; entranced. 

  
  


“Hello to you too, Your Highness,” Minho chuckled softly, stepping closer until there was barely space between them. He gazed down at the prince with big doe eyes and a captivating smile. 

  
  


Changbin wanted to step back, but he felt like he couldn’t move. The way Minho was looking at him somehow kept him in place, kept him near. As if his brain had shut off and he had forgotten how to speak, Changbin remained silent. And so did Minho, as he wordlessly lifted his hand, gently stroking his finger across Changbin’s jaw and over his cheek. It tickled. 

  
  


“Cute,” Minho smirked. 

  
  


Fuck.

  
  


He made Changbin’s heart race with just one word. A word that did things to him the first time Minho said it, and now it was doing things again. He didn’t consider himself cute. He’d be fine with being called ‘handsome’ or ‘good-looking.’ But _cute_? It just got him flustered, and he knew he was blushing again.

  
  


“Come, let’s go on our date, shall we?” Minho beamed, gently taking Changbin’s hand and pulling him off the balcony and out of the room. The prince timidly followed behind, staring down at where they held hands, and then up at the back of Minho’s orange head. 

  
  


“Uhm, where are we going?” 

  
  


“Movie!” Minho turned to look back with a grin as soon as they arrived at the palace’s rarely-used theater room.

  
  


Changbin’s eyes widened. He hadn’t seen a movie in a while, the last time must’ve been when he was a preteen. He smiled secretly to himself when Minho turned away, pulling the heavy doors open to reveal several rows of very comfortable-looking leather recliners. There was a giant screen at the front, and even a mini bar on the side with a popcorn machine. 

  
  


Changbin excitedly sat down in one of the cushiony seats. Minho first made some popcorn then seated himself beside the prince, passing over a drink. They spent at least fifteen minutes scrolling through and picking a movie on a popular streaming service called Skzflix. Then finally, they decided on a very, very old classic called _The Avengers_. Although the quality and graphics were basically ancient, it was actually quite enjoyable.

  
  


But there were times when Changbin couldn’t focus. 

  
  


They were sharing a single bowl of popcorn, and every time their hands touched, it made the hairs on his neck stand. And even worse, Minho called him ‘cute’ again when he had popcorn stuffed in his cheeks. That’s when Changbin realized Minho was watching _him_ more than the movie. So of course, he blushed and got nervous.

  
  


“Aww I’m sorry,” Minho cooed. “Did I make you uncomfortable? I won’t look then.” 

  
  


“No, I am perfectly fine,” Changbin tried to act unfazed. “Do whatever you want, it doesn’t affect me.” 

  
  


Saying that was a big mistake.

  
  


Minho pouted at first, but then a mischievous grin grew on his lips. “Whatever I want?”

  
  


And suddenly he leaned in, kissing Changbin softly on his cheek. 

  
  


“Even this?” Minho whispered in his ear, and Changbin jumped out of his seat, dropping popcorn everywhere. 

  
  


That day, he walked back to his room utterly embarrassed, butterflies in his stomach. He lay in bed, touching his cheek and thinking about the kiss. It made his ears turn red. 

  
  


“Don’t let him have an effect on you!” he kept repeating to himself, before exhaling sharply.

  
  


He fell asleep. Eventually. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


Changbin stood outside Hyunjin’s bedroom door, shaking away all the thoughts of Minho that circled his mind last night. Today was about Hyunjin, so he couldn’t be thinking about anyone else. And he had purposely placed him as the last date because he was looking forward to it the most. It was because of the “special” time they shared on the first night of the Selection. 

  
  


The door suddenly opened and Hyunjin stumbled out into his arms. When he stepped back, Changbin tried to hide his wandering gaze. The boy was wearing little denim shorts, his long dainty legs on display. He almost gulped. 

  
  


And then they were at the palace gardens, sitting under the shade of a tall oak tree, having a picnic. Changbin had never done this before, and he was most definitely being awkward. He had even vented a bit to Hyunjin, which he hoped the younger boy would just forget about. 

  
  


“Look at that!” Hyunjin suddenly pointed at a fluffy white dandelion nearby. He crawled over to it, unknowingly wiggling his round little _peach_ in the prince’s view. Changbin covered his face to hide the blush, willing himself to look away. He instead focused on the pretty ribbon tied around Hyunjin’s golden hair, his ponytail swinging as he plucked the flower from the ground and returned to his spot in front of Changbin, holding it out in front of him. 

  
  


“Make a wish, Your Highness,” he smiled sweetly, and Changbin almost melted. 

  
  


“ _You_ should make one,” he insisted.

  
  


“How about we both make one! Let’s wish for the Caste system to go away.”

  
  


“Okay.”

  
  


Hyunjin scooted closer, his knees slightly touching Changbin’s. He lifted the dandelion between them, holding it up to their lips. They watched each other’s eyes, wordlessly counting down. Then with a puff of breath, the fuzz scattered around them, dancing in the air and tickling their faces. Hyunjin giggled, and Changbin thought the whole scene was magical, before the wind swept it all away. Only Hyunjin was left gracing his vision, grinning at him, and Changbin couldn’t hold back a grin of his own. 

  
  


But of course, the moment had to be broken. 

  
  


“GAH!” Changbin shouted, jumping up and dashing away. Hyunjin fell back with laughter, and it was so contagious Changbin found himself laughing too, even as he was chased by a bee. Then he came running back, tripping over his own two feet and, of course, falling straight into Hyunjin. 

  
  


He quickly and instinctively grabbed the back of Hyunjin’s head with one hand and his waist with the other, attempting to soften the fall as he landed on top of the boy. Their legs were tangled, and Changbin lifted his head only to be met with Hyunjin’s flushed cheeks and tempting gaze. Blood rushed hot to Changbin’s face. He froze. 

  
  


Hyunjin stiffened too. His hair was fanned out on the grass, looking even prettier now that the ponytail had come loose and fallen out. He was breathing heavily, his mouth parted slightly, and Changbin was the same, out of breath from running. Even his heartbeat resonated with Changbin's own, and they remained locked in an awkward gaze.

  
  


“You smell like lavender,” Changbin whispered absentmindedly. “It’s my favourite scent.”

  
  


Their noses were almost touching, and Changbins grip behind the younger boy’s head, as well as the one on his waist, tightened. Slowly, his eyes darted down to Hyunjin’s plump, pink lips. 

  
  


Was it too early? Of course it was. He was going too fast, this was only the first date. But Changbin really wanted to, and it looked like Hyunjin did too. He felt his heart rate pick up as he slowly leaned down… closer… and then…

  
  


_BZZZZZZZ._

  
  


The bee flew by right between their faces, right in front of Changbin's eyes. He inhaled so sharply and so suddenly that he almost choked. How mortifying. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


That night, Changbin lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to decide who he might choose to wed. Two of the suitors were currently in the lead; Minho and Hyunjin.

  
  


Changbin was slowly starting to realize he liked Hyunjin because of how pure-hearted he was. A clumsy and innocent boy, just like the prince himself. And yes, he liked Minho a lot too, but Minho was confident and experienced. Time spent with Minho was flustering and made him shy, while time spent with Hyunjin felt comfortable and relaxed (save for the recent heart-fluttering moment). 

  
  


But still, he liked both, just in different ways. He couldn’t decide between them. 

  
  


Not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyone who hasn't seen the avengers needs to go watch it right now. do it.


	7. Hyunjin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tiny spoiler: kkami makes an appearance in this chapter, but not as a dog...

It was a windy, slightly chilly night. A sudden change in the warm summer weather.

  
  


Hyunjin was sitting in his lavender bath, thinking about the bee incident from last week and laughing hysterically. Then his thoughts switched to the almost-kiss with Changbin. He had wanted to do it so badly. It was embarrassing how much Hyunjin had cursed that damn bee in his head that day. 

  
  


Changbin was not intimidating to him anymore. Not at all. He was just a normal guy with his own hopes and dreams and fears. Such trivial ones too, the prince was afraid of _bugs_. 

  
  


“Why are you blushing?” Jeongin asked with a smug grin, helping Hyunjin out of the bath and wrapping him in a towel. “Are you thinking about your picnic date from last week?”

  
  


“No,” Hyunjin replied quickly, so Jeongin turned on the hairdryer, blowing it in his ear. “Ack! Okay, stop! You're right! I am.”

  
  


“Don’t lie to me when I’m holding a weapon,” Jeongin looked at him through the mirror, narrowing his eyes before drying Hyunjin’s hair. 

  
  


“But you sort of lied to me too!” he accused, speaking loudly over the noise of the hairdryer. “Changbin told me I smell like lavender, and that it’s his favourite scent. You know that don’t you? My bath...” 

  
  


“Of course I am aware he likes lavender, basically the entire palace staff knows. He always asks for everything to be lavender, or sometimes rose too-”

  
  


“Jeongin!” Hyunjin cut him off. 

  
  


“What? I’m only trying to help.” 

  
  


“No, no, I’m not upset,” Hyunjin turned around, hugging him. “You really want him to choose me, don’t you?”

  
  


“I like you very much, Hyunjin,” Jeongin hugged back. “And I don’t want you to leave. I wish you could stay with us at the palace forever. So yes, I hope he chooses you.”

  
  


Hyunjin held him tightly, taking a deep breath. If he had to go back home in the end, he’d really miss Jeongin too. He’d miss Changbin as well, and his new friends. He didn’t want to lose them all and go back to his lonely, boring life. That sounded like a nightmare, which was why he _had_ to win now. Living a life of royalty was something he still didn’t want, but if it meant being surrounded by people he loved and people who loved him, he’d take it. 

  
  


He’d marry the prince.

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


Hyunjin tiredly fell into bed after saying goodbye to Jeongin that night. He snuggled into the sheets, listening to the heavy pitter-patter of rain outside. The weather had remained nice and pleasant since the start of the Selection, so this was the first rainy day he’d spent at the palace. 

  
  


For those next two weeks, the second round of ‘dating’ was taking place. This time they were activities chosen by Changbin instead of the suitors. Hyunjin didn’t have to wait that long for his turn since there were only twelve people left, and he wasn’t placed last again, either. Minho was last. 

  
  


For some reason, that really irked him. Hyunjin thought going last made him special, so why did Changbin decide to switch it up now? Was he not the only one the prince wanted to kiss? Of course. Hyunjin suddenly felt stupid for thinking that. There were still other suitors much better than him, especially Minho. It would be weird if Changbin _wasn’t_ into that guy. 

  
  


All of a sudden, a loud rumble broke Hyunjin from his thoughts. He shot up, staring at where the window was, before sliding out of bed and slowly walking towards the balcony door. He nervously drew the curtains back, and he was met with a pitch-black sky, dripping raindrops obscuring the view. And then a flash lit up the night, so quickly that it disappeared as soon as it came. This was followed by another roaring boom, and Hyunjin jumped, scurrying back into bed and pulling the covers over his head. 

  
  


He hated thunder and lightning, or loud sudden noises in general. Just like Changbin was afraid of bugs, this was Hyunjin’s silly fear. So he spent the next few moments trembling under the sheets, squeezing his eyes shut and clutching his pillow whenever he heard the clouds collide. The sound of the crash only seemed to be getting louder each time. 

  
  


Then there was a new sound, it was a knock at his door. Hyunjin sat up abruptly, hopping out of bed. Was it Seungmin from the room beside him? Was he afraid too? Hyunjin slowly turned the handle, revealing a familiar crimson silk robe, the allure of the embroidery matching the person wearing it. 

  
  


“Are you alright, dear?” 

  
  


_Dear?_ Why was he suddenly calling Hyunjin that? Was he using it with the other suitors too? But then he shook those thoughts aside, now was not the time.

  
  


Another resonating boom caused Hyunjin to flinch, and without thinking, he ran into the prince’s arms. Changbin gladly held him against his body, inviting himself inside and closing the door behind them. He had one hand on Hyunjin’s back, patting him soothingly. The other hand was behind his head in a sort of protective hold. 

  
  


Hyunjin clung to him tighter, his face tucked into the crook of Changbin’s neck. He was so glad someone had come for him. It was often his mother that held him like that when he was scared, but this felt much different. Changbin was obviously much bigger, much broader than his mother. Hyunjin could feel his muscular physique beneath that thin robe, but his embrace was tender, almost enveloping Hyunjin in warmth and comfort. The boy’s small, thinner frame fit perfectly in Changbin’s arms. 

  
  


And then Hyunjin was crying. He didn’t know why he felt so overwhelmed, but before he knew it, his eyes were watering, and the tears spilled when he tried to blink them back. He didn’t want to look all weak and vulnerable like this in front of the prince. So pathetic too, crying just because of some thunder. Changbin probably felt Hyunjin’s body shaking and the tears wetting his neck, because he gently pulled the boy back a bit. Hyunjin was almost hesitant to let go though, Changbin smelled so good, he didn’t want to pull away. 

  
  


“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m here now,” Changbin whispered reassuringly, taking Hyunjin’s face in his soft hands, carefully brushing the tears away with his thumbs. 

  
  


“How did you know?” Hyunjin’s voice quivered a bit, still frightened by the continuous roar of the storm. 

  
  


“You told me at our picnic last week,” Changbin spoke softly, probably hoping to calm the boy down. He was still cupping his face, soothingly rubbing his thumbs across Hyunjin’s puffy cheeks and wiping any of the remaining tears. 

  
  


“To make me feel better about running from the bee, you told me some of your own fears,” he continued. “When the thunder woke me up tonight, my first impulse was to come here and make sure you were alright.” 

  
  


Hyunjin glanced up at that with wide eyes, red and watery. He sniffled, feeling overwhelmed with emotion again. Changbin remembered? Changbin… cared?

  
  


Hyunjin suddenly threw his arms around him, leaning in. It all happened so fast, he didn’t even realize what he was doing until he had pulled away. Changbin was surprised at first, but then he was looking up at him with an expression Hyunjin couldn’t quite name. 

  
  


And it made him feel loved. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


Eventually, it was the day of Hyunjin’s second date. He was a bit nervous to see Changbin after what had happened a few nights ago. 

  
  


His first kiss. Just thinking about it made his heart flutter like crazy.

  
  


But he couldn’t believe he did it in such a pitiful state. Cheeks swollen, eyes swollen, dried tears sticking to his face. He really hoped he didn’t look as gross and ugly as he was imagining. More importantly, though, he hoped Changbin didn’t mind. 

  
  


He probably didn’t, right? He was incredibly kind and caring, staying by Hyunjin’s side until the thundering had stopped completely. Not even his mother would remain next to him, waiting out the storm. Changbin _really_ wasn’t what Hyunjin thought he’d be at all. 

  
  


“Stop moving your head!” Jeongin yanked on his hair. 

  
  


“Right, sorry!” Hyunjin tried to compose himself, preparing to see the prince again. 

  
  


What they were going to be doing was a surprise, only Jeongin knew so that he could dress Hyunjin appropriately. He had put the boy in stretchy jeans and a plain shirt, tying his hair into a french braid. It was a very simple look, Hyunjin couldn’t even guess what they were going to do. 

  
  


And then that same knock at the door came, causing Jeongin to hurry, finishing off Hyunjin’s braid with a little bow and sending him on his way. Changbin was waiting outside wearing a fancy, navy coat, with white, tight-fitted pants and long black boots. He was smiling as he greeted Hyunjin, but things still felt awkward. He couldn’t stop wondering if the prince also had his first kiss that night. Or what if he kissed another suitor before him? 

  
  


Moments later, they had arrived outside like last time, but Changbin wasn’t leading him to the palace gardens. Instead, they stopped in front of a long wooden building that looked like… stables?

  
  


“Wait, you’re not taking me _horse riding_ , are you?” Hyunjin asked in slight panic, and Changbin just chuckled, pulling the heavy doors open to reveal rows and rows of, as predicted, horses. 

  
  


“Don’t worry. I am aware you don’t know how to ride. We’ll take things slowly, it’ll be fun.”

  
  


Hyunjin took a deep breath and nodded. Changbin was right, he’d make sure Hyunjin was safe, he definitely trusted him with that. 

  
  


Changbin brought two horses out with the help of a stableboy, securing them to the fence. The stableboy was grooming the chestnut brown horse, while Changbin was showing Hyunjin how to do it with the black and white dappled one. 

  
  


“This is Kkami. He’s going to be your horse today, so get comfortable with one another,” Changbin patted the large creature, and it nickered in response, flicking its tail. “Now, you have to brush his coat gently, don’t go too rough, okay?” 

  
  


Hyunjin tried to do as he was told, but he wasn’t doing a very good job, so Changbin ended up doing most of the work (especially when it came to putting the saddle on). 

  
  


“Your turn for gear,” Changbin handed him riding boots and a helmet, clipping his own on.

  
  


Once they were all ready, Hyunjin was shown how to mount his horse, and miraculously, he got it on the first try. The prince praised him, and he smiled proudly, finally feeling accomplished. 

  
  


They spent the first hour learning the basics, like how to stop, turn, speed up, and slow down. Hyunjin was slowly getting the hang of it, and after a while, he was really enjoying himself, glad that Changbin chose this activity for them. 

  
  


Eventually, they left the safety of the fence and headed off on a trail between the tall oak trees. It was nothing stressful, they remained side by side at a walking pace. Once Changbin was sure Hyunjin was comfortable, they even sped up to a trot, conversing a bit and enjoying the view as they followed along the trail, deeper into the forest. 

  
  


It was only when Hyunjin was lost in the scenery, that Kkami had suddenly started to canter, and he hadn’t gotten to practice at that speed yet. He quickly looked back at Changbin, who was just getting smaller and smaller. So in a panic, he desperately pulled at the reins, calling out, “Woah, woah!”

  
  


But Kkami wasn’t listening, he broke into a gallop instead. Hyunjin’s heart dropped when they headed off the trail, probably leaving Changbin far behind. He held onto Kkami as tightly as he could, but he felt like he was going to fly off. And then, his sweaty hands started to slip.

  
  


Hyunjin squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the fall. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh noooo ><


	8. Changbin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have fun with this chapter minbinists <3 i cracked myself up writing this lol

Changbin felt so content.

  
  


He patted his horse, glancing over at Hyunjin beside him, smiling. He was glad he could share one of his interests with him and experience it together. And it was so peaceful too, the lush greenery surrounding them, along with the musical chirping of the birds. But of course, Changbin’s mind kept going back to the night of the thunderstorm. 

  
  


Hyunjin had kissed him. His first kiss!

  
  


He remembered how his heart did a flip when the boy leaned in, and his eyes shot open when his lips connected with Hyunjin’s soft, pillowy ones. Hyunjin had pulled away too quickly though, leaving Changbin speechless and yearning for more of that deliciously sweet feeling. But he had restrained himself, clearing his throat, trying to calm his racing heart. 

  
  


He wondered if Hyunjin was thinking about the same thing, and he turned back to his left, only to see that Kkami had broken into a gallop. Panic set in immediately, and Changbin bolted after them. That darn Kkami had left the trail, but finally, Changbin had caught up with him. Hyunjin was about to fall, his grip on the reins slipping. Changbin hurriedly brought his horse as close as possible, riding alongside Kkami, before latching a strong arm around Hyunjin’s waist, lifting him up and over. 

  
  


Hyunjin was breathing fast and squeezing Changbin’s middle to hang on, pressing his face into the prince’s neck. Changbin held him just as tightly, one hand firmly on his back, the other on the reins. He quickly slowed down to a stop, giving Hyunjin a moment to realize. When the boy finally leaned back and glanced down at Changbin, he instantly blushed, his grip on him loosening. Changbin could tell he was flustered by the position they were in, his own ears were turning red because of it. 

  
  


Hyunjin was backwards on the horse, facing the prince. His long legs were hung over Changbin’s, basically in his lap, basically straddling him. Their faces were so close too, and Changbin had the urge to kiss him if only their helmets weren’t in the way. 

  
  


“I’m sorry,” he whispered, feeling disappointed in himself for almost letting Hyunjin get hurt. 

  
  


“But you saved me!” Hyunjin shook his head, still trying to catch his breath. “Don’t apologize.” 

  
  


“I promised to protect you, though. You trusted me with that.”

  
  


“What are you, my bodyguard?” Hyunjin chuckled. “I think ‘my knight in shining armour’ fits better in this case.”

  
  


“Then I suppose that makes you the pretty princess,” Changbin’s voice was quiet, a bit hesitant to attempt at flirting (and he wasn’t even sure if he was doing it correctly). 

  
  


“Kkami,” Hyunjin shyly changed the subject, unable to respond to the compliment. 

  
  


“Oh right!” Changbin quickly scanned the field they were in, seeing the dappled horse grazing on some grass not too far away. He helped Hyunjin swing his leg over and slide off, telling him to wait there as he went to fetch Kkami. 

  
  


When he turned around, Hyunjin was patiently waiting with his hands resting in front of him in a neat manner -- which Changbin noticed was a big improvement, likely from taking those etiquette courses. Hyunjin waved, smiling so widely that his eyes turned into crescents and his cheeks were a rosy pink. 

  
  


Changbin felt his heart swell with happiness. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


The next morning, Changbin woke up all giddy from yesterday, but also excited for his date with Minho. He had placed the model last because he wanted to end the second round with a fancy dinner in his bedroom, which was the activity he had chosen to do with Minho. 

  
  


When Minho had arrived that night, he showed up wearing the same brand suit as Changbin, just a different colour, and they both laughed about that before heading out onto the balcony. Changbin’s was very spacious, large enough for a table and two chairs, where an expensive meal and a bottle of red wine were waiting. 

  
  


They barely conversed at first, only bothering with some small talk. Then, halfway through finishing their food, Minho had started to say weird things… _dirty_ things. It made the prince feel uncomfortable, yet his heart would jump, almost in excitement. He had never felt this way before, not even with Wooyoung. No, that was innocent love. This was something else. 

  
  


“Your bed is really big,” Minho peered into the room from the balcony, sipping on his wine. 

  
  


Changbin glanced at his, indeed, massive bed, then looked back at Minho questioningly.

  
  


“Your room is big too, quite big for just one person,” he commented. “Have you ever invited anybody else here? Other than me?” 

  
  


Changbin shook his head, almost too quickly. He didn’t want anyone finding out that he had brought Hyunjin there on the first night of the Selection. 

  
  


“I wonder what else is big,” Minho smirked, his gaze dropping down to the edge of the table where the prince was sitting across from him. 

  
  


“What?” Changbin put his drink down, coughing, trying not to choke. 

  
  


“That’s too bad,” Minho continued. “I suppose you just like to pleasure yourself, then.”

  
  


“Excuse me?” 

  
  


“You’re a virgin, aren't you, Your Highness?” Minho had on a smug grin that suddenly made Changbin’s blood boil, yet he blushed too. 

  
  


“That doesn't concern you,” he stammered, surprised at how shamelessly the older boy was saying these things to him. 

  
  


Minho acted all innocent, finishing up what was left on his plate and walking back into the room, sitting on the prince’s bed with delight. “Wow, it’s so soft!”

  
  


Changbin hurried over to stand before Minho, crossing his arms. “I think it's time for you to go.” 

  
  


Minho just looked up at him cheekily. “But you invited me here, it's hardly good manners to send me away so quickly.” 

  
  


Changbin scoffed, reaching for Minho's wrist and pulling him off the bed, but he yanked his arm away and looked down at Changbin mischievously. He stepped too close for comfort, so Changbin moved backwards, telling him to leave and again, failing. Persistently, Minho kept advancing until Changbin’s back hit the wall behind him and Minho’s face was only inches away, his body trapping the prince between him and the wall. Changbin’s heart suddenly began to beat faster, and he looked away, avoiding Minho’s intense gaze. 

  
  


“I said go away,” Changbin tried again. “That is an order.” 

  
  


The taller boy tilted his head, trying to make Changbin look at him, but he refused. Minho chuckled, his lips barely grazing over Changbin’s neck. “Oh but I don’t think you want me to go away, do you?” 

  
  


Changbin tried to slow his breathing down. “Of course I do. If you don't listen, I'll call the guards.” 

  
  


“I genuinely thought you brought me here to stay the night,” Minho sulked with a pout, reaching out to place his thumb and forefinger on Changbin’s chin in another attempt to make the prince look up at him. His eyes were on Changbin’s lips, and the latter gulped, suddenly feeling dizzy. 

  
  


“I didn’t,” he claimed, trying hard not to stutter. How was Minho doing this to him? He was a prince, Minho should be obeying him. He shouldn't be so weak in a situation like this. But why did he feel so weak? Maybe he didn't want Minho to stop. Changbin was slowly starting to slip away from logical thought as he bit his lip. 

  
  


“But it looks like you’re changing your mind,” Minho said in a singsong voice, somehow leaning in even closer. That was it, Changbin was not having it. He grabbed the collar of Minho’s shirt and spun him around, pushing him against the wall, not roughly, but not gently either. 

  
  


“Just shut up!” he growled in irritation, looking Minho in the eye, brows furrowed. The model only looked slightly surprised, that same tenacious smirk on his stupidly gorgeous face. His eyes narrowed teasingly as he spoke:

  
  


“Make me.”

  
  


Changbin didn't feel like himself, _definitely_ _not_ , when he yanked Minho's face down by the collar of his shirt, got on his tiptoes, and crashed their lips together. Now that was something Minho was not expecting, judging by the way he stared down at Changbin with wide eyes and mouth agape when they pulled apart. Changbin grinned, suddenly feeling like this was some sort of competition, and he had just gained a point. It was Minho's turn now, who was clearly enjoying this.

  
  


“Ah, I see how it is… you want to play,” Minho laughed profusely, pushing Changbin until he fell backwards on the bed, not wasting a second to climb on top of him and connect their lips again. Minho’s tongue slipped inside his mouth, and it made Changbin’s heart beat at the speed of light. 

  
  


He had never experienced this kind of thrill before in his life. He had never been so aroused. It felt electrifying, hot blood was pulsing through his body like fire. Hot to his cheeks, hot to his ears, hot to his cock. He really did feel so unlike himself, so careless and desperate for more. It was embarrassing, the way he was grinding up on Minho’s thigh between his legs, but it felt so, so good. 

  
  


Changbin didn't like how Minho was dominating the prince underneath him, though. He wanted to be the one on top, he wanted to be in control. So he flipped them over, impatiently leaning back down. Disappointingly, Minho stopped him short, reaching out and holding Changbin back by his shoulders. He looked down at Minho in confusion, kneeling back on his legs when Minho sat up. 

  
  


“There's a problem here,” he chuckled, and Changbin wiped his slobbery mouth with the back of his hand. 

  
  


“What's wrong?” he asked, breathless. 

  
  


“We’re both tops,” Minho found the situation amusing, almost snorting, as he shook his head. “I should've known you weren’t a bottom, I mean you’re short but you’re big, just look at this arm muscle... and the way you like to command everyone. Yet, I didn't want to fall for that stereotype. When you’re alone with me you get shy, you let me do what I want, even if you’re bratty about it. Though, I suppose that’s just because you’re inexperienced.” 

  
  


Changbin had his brows drawn together, blinking. He wasn't understanding all this ‘top’ ‘bottom’ stuff. 

  
  


Minho chuckled again. “Let me put this simply, were you hoping to be the one to fuck me?” 

  
  


“I-” Changbin blushed embarrassingly at his words, because it was true. Minho didn’t even need him to answer when it was so obvious. 

  
  


“Exactly, and I was hoping the same. Neither of us are bottoms or willing to be, this’ll never work.” 

  
  


“Oh…” Changbin avoided eye contact, feeling a bit humiliated because of his lack of knowledge when it came to this stuff. And he was still panting desperately, palming at his bulge to ease the pain. 

  
  


“I can still help with this,” Minho offered, hopping off the bed and getting down on his knees, pulling Changbin to the edge by the ankles. The prince gasped, feeling Minho unbutton his pants. 

  
  


“Wait, wait, wait,” Changbin quickly buttoned his pants back, sitting up. He was slowly coming to his senses, and he could not believe he had let himself lose control like that. “It’s okay, I’ll be fine. You should... you should just head back to your room.” 

  
  


Changbin would not let Minho be his first sexual experience if things weren’t going to work. He didn’t regret making out with Minho though, it was thrilling, and would remain a funny memory of how he wasn’t thinking with his head, he was thinking with his dick. He didn’t like Minho the way he thought he did, he was just incredibly and embarrassingly horny for him. 

  
  


Minho chuckled, but his expression was apologetic, as he leaned in to give Changbin a quick peck on the cheek and whisper a sorry. He walked to the door and stopped, turning back and smiling slightly. 

  
  


“I had fun playing with you, but I understand if you want to eliminate me after this. I’m sure you find no reason in keeping me anymore, and I don’t believe I have much reason to stay.” 

  
  


He left. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


The morning after, Changbin called Minho to speak with him in private after breakfast. Minho scratched the back of his head, shoulders slumped a bit. 

  
  


“I guess this is goodbye? I’ll miss y-”

  
  


“I’m not eliminating you,” Changbin interrupted, and the older boy tilted his head in question. “I decided last night that you can still stay here until the end of the Selection, as a friend. If you’d like to, that is.” 

  
  


“Of course I’d like that,” Minho smiled wide, pulling Changbin into an unexpected embrace. But surprisingly there was no awkwardness from the night before, and Changbin let his hands fall tightly around Minho as he sighed with relief. 

  
  


“Glad to hear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh poor changbin... nobody taught the innocent prince anything ><


	9. Hyunjin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wasn't too satisfied with how i wrote this chapter, but enjoy !

“He should pick Minho,” Jisung shoved a handful of chips in his mouth, shaking his fluffy blue hair out of his eyes. “Like, I’d totally pick Minho if I were him.”

  
  


The group of friends were all gathered in Jisung’s bedroom, spending some free time together while Changbin was on his last date with Minho. They were lazing around, discussing possible results of the Selection. 

  
  


“I feel like he’s uncomfortable around Minho though,” Seungmin held his mouth open to be fed a chip by Jisung beside him. “I think he’ll probably pick Felix or Hyunjin.”

  
  


“Oh wait, didn’t I tell you guys?” Felix sat up from laying on Jisung’s lap. “After our first date, he told me he saw me more like a brother, and had no intention of pursuing a romantic relationship with me.”

  
  


“What!” Jisung gave the slim boy a hug, patting his head. “That meanie! It’s okay, Lix.” 

  
  


“No, no, I feel the same way,” Felix pulled back. “He’s totally my type and all, but I just didn’t feel anything too special… didn’t feel a connection with him.”

  
  


“But he didn’t eliminate you?” Hyunjin asked. 

  
  


“He said he still likes me, and wants to keep me here as a friend.” 

  
  


“He can do that?” Seungmin raised a brow.

  
  


“He’s a prince, I guess he can do whatever the fuck he wants,” Jisung shrugged. 

  
  


“I met someone else, though. He’s from Illéa too!” Felix giggled. 

  
  


“The gardener?” Hyunjin remembered. 

  
  


“Yeah! His name is Chan. I’ve secretly been going to meet with him everyday between classes. I really like him.”

  
  


“But what if you get caught?” Seungmin warned. “And you won’t be able to see him when the Selection is over, so why risk it?”

  
  


“Oh shut up Minnie, that’s precisely why they’d want to spend all the more time together!” Jisung countered, leaning into Felix. “I’m happy for you Lix, that’s so cute.”

  
  


“Thanks,” is what he said, but his voice was small. 

  
  


“Sorry...” Seungmin shook his head at himself. 

  
  


“It’s okay, you’re just being rational.” 

  
  


Hyunjin was listening quietly, laying on his stomach facing the other three, legs swinging back and forth in thought. 

  
  


“Hey Min,” he called, getting a hum in response. “Why did you say you think he’d choose me?” 

  
  


“Uhm, Hyunjin... it’s obvious he likes you,” Seungmin looked at him as if he was stupid for not knowing that. “A lot.”

  
  


“R-Really?” Hyunjin hid his face behind the pillow he was resting on, feeling shy to talk about that kind of thing with his friends, since they were also his competitors. 

  
  


“Are you kidding? When I saw you guys on your date in the palace gardens, the way he was smiling and laughing...” Felix crossed his arms knowingly. “He hasn’t been _that_ happy and lively with any of us except you.” 

  
  


“And when he joins us in the dining hall sometimes, I swear his eyes are always on you,” Jisung pointed out. “He barely looks at his food or the people around him.” 

  
  


“He... what?” Hyunjin blushed, feeling his ears turn red too. What they were saying couldn’t entirely be true, right? He had always assumed Changbin was acting that way with all the other suitors too. 

  
  


“The night of the thunderstorm, I heard a knock,” Seungmin added, smirking. “I thought it was at my door, so I opened it, but nobody was there. That’s when I looked to your bedroom beside mine, and saw the two of you standing in each other’s arms at the entrance. Then you guys quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind y-” 

  
  


Hyunjin jumped up, climbing onto Seungmin and covering his mouth. _He saw that!?_

  
  


“For real?” Jisung perked up with interest. “Oh my god, I didn’t think he’d gotten touchy with anyone yet.”

  
  


Seungmin pulled Hyunjin’s hand off his mouth, and Felix locked his arms in a hug, holding him back so Seungmin could speak. “Oh, it gets better.”

  
  


“What are you talking about?” Hyunjin struggled to get out of Felix’s grasp, but the boy had completely latched his arms and legs around him. 

  
  


“A few minutes later, I heard hushed murmurs. Hyunjin kept making _noises_ and he... was crying. After a long time, I think around when the storm had passed, I heard the door open. I peeked out of my room and saw Changbin walking away all giddy.”

  
  


“HE FUCKED YOU!?” Jisung gasped in surprise, though his expression was smug. 

  
  


Hyunjin finally broke free from Felix’s tight hold, attacking the blue-haired boy and squeezing his lips shut. If the walls were thin enough that Seungmin had heard all of what happened that night, then someone had definitely heard Jisung’s outburst just now. 

  
  


“Guys, guys!” Hyunjin wanted to disappear, his face likely tomato red at this point. “You’re misunderstanding, that’s not what happened! Changbin didn’t-”

  
  


God, he couldn’t even say it. Couldn’t even think about that yet. 

  
  


“Then why were you crying?” Felix asked, worried. “Did he upset you?” 

  
  


“No, never,” Hyunjin took a deep breath. “The thing is, I’m afraid of loud noises. It’s a silly fear, I know. But I also told this to Changbin on our first date. I guess he remembered, because he came to check up on me that night. The _sounds_ I was making were because I was scared, NOT because of any weird reason. As for why I cried, I’m not entirely sure myself. Though, I think it was because nobody has ever cared about me this much other than my mother, and he comforted me better than she ever has. Even yesterday on our second date, I almost fell off a horse! But he saved me. He had promised I’d be okay and he kept that promise, yet still, he felt guilty, as if he had to protect me no matter what. And whenever he looks at me, he always has this expression that I can’t understand. I-” 

  
  


Hyunjin stopped himself before he could continue, realizing he was rambling. The room was awkwardly silent, but he couldn’t see how they’d reacted. He was covering his face, still feeling embarrassed by what they thought Changbin had come to do. He’d left out the kiss in his explanation, if he were to tell them they’d never shut up about it. 

  
  


“Well fuck,” Jisung finally spoke. “The hell am I still doing here then? I think it’s already decided.” 

  
  


Hyunjin peeked at them between his fingers, brows drawn in confusion. They were all grinning at him.

  
  


“Oh Jinnie, can’t you see?” Seungmin clicked his tongue. “He might not know it himself yet, but from what you’re saying, it seems like...” 

  
  


Felix finished the sentence, smiling warmly at Hyunjin. 

  
  


“The prince is in love with you.”

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


_‘The prince is in love with you.’_ The prince. In love. 

  
  


“With me…” Hyunjin murmured. 

  
  


“Hm?” Jeongin was slowly pouring warm water over Hyunjin’s head, washing the shampoo out. 

  
  


“Oh, uh, nothing,” Hyunjin shook his thoughts away. It had been a few days since he’d hung out with his friends in Jisung’s room, but he just couldn’t get what they had said out of his mind. Were they right? Was Changbin really going to choose him? And what if they were wrong? What then?

  
  


“You’re probably nervous about getting the exam results today, aren’t you? Don’t worry, I’m sure you did well.”

  
  


Hyunjin completely forgot that they had written and performed exams for their classes yesterday. Despite what Jeongin was saying, he knew he didn’t do that well. Compared to the rest, at least, he definitely did worse. It was just five of them left too, the other seven suitors were eliminated after the second round of dating. Together, those last five suitors of the Selection were known as the Elite, and apparently Hyunjin was the lowest caste in history to get that far, like that was supposed to be something special. 

  
  


After getting ready, Jeongin accompanied Hyunjin to the library where the exam results would be posted. They seemed to have arrived late, as everyone was already gathered around the board, even Changbin. He gently pushed past them and glanced up at the placings. 

  
  


Kim Seungmin …... 99% 

Lee Minho …….….. 97% 

Lee Felix ……….…. 92% 

Hwang Hyunjin ….. 89% 

Han Jisung …….…. 88% 

  
  


So he got fourth place. Just one percent from being in the 90s, and _almost_ coming last. He knew he did okay on the written portion, but he admitted he should’ve paid more attention during the etiquette courses. His demonstration wasn’t the best. 

  
  


Jisung was completely unbothered by getting the worst mark. Had he already given up because he thought Changbin wasn’t going to pick him? Hyunjin glanced over at the prince, he was congratulating the others for doing a good job. 

  
  


His friends were wrong. Changbin was just a compassionate person, that didn’t mean he had any special feelings towards Hyunjin. Yes, they kissed, but Hyunjin had been the one to initiate it. And anyways, Changbin had probably kissed Minho too. 

  
  


The prince being in love with him? It was just wishful thinking. 

  
  


Hyunjin sighed, asking Jeongin to bring his breakfast to his room, as he headed out of the library. He quietly walked down the hallway, when a hand suddenly slipped into his, stopping him. He turned to see Changbin, smiling. 

  
  


“Where are you going?” he squeezed Hyunjin’s hand gently. “I didn’t get a chance to congratulate you!”

  
  


“For what?” Hyunjin scoffed. “I did terribly.”

  
  


“Goodness, no!” Changbin pulled him closer. “I’m so proud of you. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t that impressed in the beginning, but you’ve improved the most out of anyone here. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your efforts.”

  
  


“It’s not good enough though…” Hyunjin frowned, but he was happy to hear the praise. 

  
  


“Stop saying that. I’m telling you it’s good enough. _You’re_ good enough.” 

  
  


Hyunjin stayed silent. 

  
  


“What’s wrong, dear?”

  
  


_Dear._ He was saying that again. 

  
  


“Do you call everyone that?” Hyunjin suddenly asked. 

  
  


“You mean ‘dear’?” Changbin unexpectedly blushed. “Well… no. Just with you. But if you don’t like it I can stop!” 

  
  


Hyunjin’s eyes widened. Now he was confused again, nothing was making sense anymore. All his thoughts were too jumbled up, he needed some time alone to think clearly. 

  
  


“No, nevermind,” he said quickly, pulling his hand away and rushing off to his bedroom. 

  
  


That night, Hyunjin had barely slept. His mind kept going back and forth between whether he’d really get chosen or not. Now it mattered to him, of course. He didn’t want to go back home anymore. But if Changbin’s pick was Minho or Seungmin or even Jisung, he couldn’t do anything about that. He didn’t want to be competitive about it either. 

  
  


But if it _were_ true, and Changbin actually loved him- did Hyunjin love him back? Of course he _liked_ him, he wanted to go on more dates and do things like kiss him. But love… it was always something Hyunjin never understood. He couldn’t be sure if what he was feeling was love. Yeah he’d been at the palace for almost three months, but the time he actually spent alone with the prince was few. He couldn’t be in love already. 

  
  


Right?

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


Everything was suddenly happening so soon. Now that the Selection was down to the Elite, it was time for Changbin to make his decision. There was going to be a grand ball, where he would announce his pick. Nobles and people of high ranking would be invited, even Changbin’s sister and her husband were going to come from Illéa to attend. 

  
  


A wedding would take place just a few days after.

  
  


Hyunjin hadn’t even thought about if he was ready to get married yet. Spending the rest of his days beside Changbin, a future king. Living in a palace, living in royalty. He knew that would be the result of getting chosen, but he had always pushed it to the back of his mind. 

  
  


The ball was in two days and Hyunjin was feeling anxious, though the one thing that always calmed him down and helped him relieve stress, was dance. He hadn’t gotten to do much dancing since the Selection started. He never had the time, and his bedroom didn’t have enough space. But that night, he _had_ to.

  
  


So, of course, he snuck out of his room once again, hiding in the darkness. He stepped slowly and quietly, wearing the slippers Changbin had given him the first time he’d left his room at night. Luckily, there were no guards around or near the ballroom, and Hyunjin took off the slippers, padding inside barefoot. He rolled up the sleeves of his pajama shirt, playing one of his favourite songs in his head, and beginning to dance. 

  
  


He missed this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there’s a bit of a surprise next chapter hehehe


	10. Changbin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was one of my favs to write <3

Changbin couldn’t believe it was already time for him to make his decision. He had only been on _two_ dates with each of the Elite, but still, he didn’t regret moving so fast. After what happened with Minho, his choice was clear as day now. He didn’t need more time to think about it, he knew who he wanted. Yet with the ball in two days, Changbin couldn’t sleep. He was a bit worried about how the public would take it and what his parents would think, because their approval always had to matter.

  
  


Instead of lying around, Changbin decided to take a walk around the palace again, which often seemed to help calm his nerves. He strolled down his favourite hallway, the one with the portraits, then decided to take a longer path back. He rounded the corner, heading past the kitchen and dining hall and- what were his slippers doing at the entrance of the ballroom? Specifically, the ones he gave to _Hyunjin._

  
  


It wasn’t a surprise to him that the boy had snuck out of his room again, but what was he doing in the ballroom this time? Changbin tiptoed towards the entrance, slowly peeking from behind the wall. 

  
  


There he was, right in the center of the vast, empty space. His eyes were closed, lips curled into a peaceful smile. The moonlight spilling into the room through the large window cast an iridescent shine over his silk pajamas. His long, golden hair was glowing, his skin was glowing. He was moving across the marble floor so gracefully, and Changbin just stood, watching in awe. Captivated by the angel dancing in silence. 

  
  


When Hyunjin had finished, he opened his eyes to Changbin, lost in a trance. The prince didn’t even realize he was walking towards Hyunjin until he was now standing right in front of him, startling him.

  
  


“Y-Your Highness!” Hyunjin exclaimed in a hushed tone, sounding embarrassed. “You were watching?”

  
  


“I was,” Changbin admitted, stepping closer. “And I’m glad I found you here. Hyunjin, that was so... _compelling_. You dance beautifully, I wish I had gotten to see this earlier.”

  
  


“Oh I… thank you,” he glanced down shyly, and Changbin could see the sweat of hard work on his forehead now. 

  
  


“You really love to sneak out of your bedroom at night, huh?” he chuckled.

  
  


“And you seem to always catch me.”

  
  


Changbin smiled. “Do you know how to waltz? The ball is coming up.”

  
  


“A little bit… I’ve always wanted to learn it properly.”

  
  


“Would you like me to teach you?” the prince offered. 

  
  


“Right here? Right... now?” Hyunjin looked up at him with raised brows. 

  
  


“Of course, unless you’re tired or don’t want to.”

  
  


“No, I want to!” 

  
  


“Alright,” Changbin laughed quietly, reaching out to take his hand. He put the boy’s other hand on his shoulder, and placed his own on the small of Hyunjin’s back. “It’s quite simple.”

  
  


And so Changbin had started to hum a tune, his movements deliberate so Hyunjin could pick up on what to do, where to step. They danced slowly across the ballroom, and Hyunjin was doing great, proving to be a fast learner. He hadn’t stepped on Changbin’s foot even once. 

  
  


“You sound like you’re a good singer,” Hyunjin giggled, getting the hang of it enough that he didn’t have to look down between them and watch their feet. 

  
  


“Eh, I’m alright,” the prince grinned. “I’m sure you’re better.” 

  
  


“Not reall-” 

  
  


“Can I kiss you?” Changbin suddenly had an urge, pulling Hyunjin flush against his body, cutting him off.

  
  


Hyunjin’s ears instantly turned red, and Changbin could feel the boy’s heart race against his chest. 

  
  


“First tell me,” he hesitated, a bit timid. “Have you kissed any of the other suitors?” 

  
  


Changbin had a feeling he might be asked this, and as Hyunjin was always honest with him, he wanted to be the same. “I have.”

  
  


Hyunjin glanced down at that, frowning a little. It became obvious to Changbin, then, that the boy might be absolutely clueless about how the prince truly felt towards him. 

  
  


“But just once, and I like the kiss _you_ gave me more, anyways,” Changbin wanted to make that clear. 

  
  


“That was my first kiss,” Hyunjin admitted. 

  
  


“It was mine too,” Changbin placed a finger under his chin, gently lifting Hyunjin’s gaze. “And I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t stop wanting to kiss you again.” 

  
  


Hyunjin just looked at him for a moment, like he was forming a decision, and then he leaned down, finally connecting their lips. All that time Changbin spent waiting impatiently, _itching_ to feel this way again, it took over him. He was drowning in that soft warmth, feeling like he couldn’t bear to pull away. He just wanted to keep kissing Hyunjin forever. 

  
  


But then they heard footsteps. A guard was approaching. Changbin reluctantly pulled back with a sigh, taking Hyunjin’s hand and hurrying out the entrance, Hyunjin almost tripping as he tried to put his slippers on as fast as he could. They rounded the corner just before the guard could spot them, biting their lips to hold back from laughing. And then they were kissing again, grabbing at each other desperately. 

  
  


Most of the night went on like that. Sneaking, kissing, hiding, running, more kissing. They had been to almost every end of the palace now, it was so exhilarating. Changbin didn’t want to stop, and it seemed like Hyunjin didn’t either. Then another guard almost saw them, but they had swiftly slipped into the library, giggling and rushing behind the bookshelves. That’s when they saw the most unexpected thing they’d ever see. 

  
  


They had run into Minho and Jisung, _making out_. 

  
  


But it wasn’t just that. Minho had lifted Jisung up against the bookshelves, the boy’s legs wrapped around his waist. Jisung’s shirt was unbuttoned halfway, a collection of hickeys decorating his chest and neck. Their pants were also unzipped, but fortunately, it looked like they had only just started what they were about to do, so there was nothing Changbin and Hyunjin wouldn’t want to see out on display yet. 

  
  


Hyunjin squeaked when he saw them, causing the two to look over at the other pair and stop immediately. Minho slowly put Jisung down, zipping his pants up, gulping. That might’ve been the first time Changbin had seen Minho embarrassed, and it was kind of funny. He wasn’t mad or disappointed at all, just surprised, of course. 

  
  


“Finally found your bottom, huh?” Changbin quipped, and Minho was speechless at first, then he laughed nervously. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Just, please don’t continue this here, you’ll make a mess. I don’t even want to know the reason you’re doing this in the library. Go to one of your bedrooms, okay? Thanks.” 

  
  


Then he turned to leave, but Jisung stopped them. 

  
  


“And what were _you two_ doing?” 

  
  


Of course he had to ask, it was obvious Changbin and Hyunjin were up to something similar. They were panting from all the running and kissing, their lips red and their hair messy. 

  
  


Changbin just smirked, pulling Hyunjin away with him, leaving before the horny pair could say anything else. He was honestly trying hard not to laugh, what just happened was hilarious to him. But Hyunjin on the other hand, looked disturbed. 

  
  


“I should’ve covered your eyes,” the prince joked, and Hyunjin amusingly agreed. 

  
  


“What did you mean… when you said Minho finally found his bottom?” he then asked. “What’s a bottom?” 

  
  


“Something I hope you are,” Changbin accidentally said out loud. 

  
  


“Huh?” 

  
  


He couldn’t be more glad that he wasn’t the only one completely clueless about that sort of terminology. “Uh nevermind. Come, I’ll escort you to your room. We should get some sleep.” 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


The day of the ball had arrived two nights later. Changbin had thoroughly planned everything out and even rehearsed how he would make the announcement, but still, he was nervous. Fortunately, he had Chan to comfort him, and best of all, his sister had come home from Illéa that morning. 

  
  


He hadn’t seen her in a very long time, she only ever visited occasionally on holidays. So as soon as she stepped off the plane, Changbin hugged her tightly. He couldn’t hold back from giving a bitter look to her husband though, who was watching behind them. And as soon as they pulled apart, he put on a big smile again for his sister, taking her hand and leading her inside. He spent most of the day with her and watched the palace staff prepare the ballroom, the food, the clothes that the Elite would wear. He hadn’t seen Hyunjin in anything particularly fancy yet, so he was really looking forward to it. 

  
  


Eventually, the sun had begun to set, and the guests were slowly arriving. Changbin’s parents were nagging at him about who his choice was. ‘ _I_ _t must be the half-Illéan boy.' ‘Oh but that model Lee Minho is also a delight.’_ He wasn’t going to tell them, or anyone. Not until the announcement. Thankfully, Seungmin had come and pulled Changbin away from the interrogation, bringing him to the Elite all standing together in one corner. 

  
  


They were each wearing different coloured suits, looking very handsome. Minho and Jisung were laughing about something, but they went quiet as soon as Changbin joined them, which was amusing. Felix was having a deep conversation with, oddly enough, Changbin’s brother-in-law, a prince of Illéa, so it was easy to guess what they were talking about. He suddenly felt bad that Chan couldn’t be there too, he would’ve loved to join the conversation, and he also seemed to enjoy the freckled boy’s presence. 

  
  


“You look nervous,” Changbin’s sister unlinked her arm with her husband’s, sauntering up to him and fixing his royal suit. It was an ivory white with red accents, gold embroidery, and tasseled shoulder pads. His hair was a bit of a mess, but it didn’t look too bad with his dazzling crown sitting atop his head.

  
  


“Maybe because I am.”

  
  


“Just relax, Bin. Trust me, nobody whose opinion actually matters will question your choice. We’ll be happy as long as you’re happy. That’s all we want for you.” 

  
  


Changbin nodded, taking a deep breath. He was so glad his sister was here. She always had a way of making him instantly feel better, it was disheartening that she would soon be returning to Illéa after the wedding. 

  
  


Almost everyone had eventually arrived, except for Hyunjin. Where was he? Changbin was starting to worry. Did the boy get sick? Was he feeling nervous too? Was he not going to come? Changbin wandered over to one of the tables, anxiously pouring himself some wine and taking the glass with him outside the ballroom. This was better, it was almost a bit suffocating in there, and so noisy too. He took a few sips of his wine, glancing around for Hyunjin. 

  
  


That’s when Changbin almost choked on his drink, staring wide-eyed and mouth agape at the boy that had suddenly appeared, looking like a princess straight out of a fairytale. 

  
  


[ i highly recommend listening to [the flower garden](https://open.spotify.com/track/6IZF8hi9J6EtFDLQqOlSbu?si=Ib8ivYV9Rt2B7yi8p0b2ug) by _joe hisaishi_ for this part, start playing it as soon as you begin reading the next paragraph! ]

  
  


Hyunjin was standing at the top of the grand staircase, smiling down at him. His golden hair was curly, the top half pulled back into a neat bun tied with a cute bow. He was wearing a long, pale pink gown made of satin, tight-fitted to his waist with the rest of it loose and poofy. The sleeves were to his elbows, cuffs ruffled. He began to make his way down, slowly, delicately. A flower drifting to the ground. 

  
  


Before anyone could notice he was gone, Changbin rushed back into the ballroom, wanting to see everyone’s reaction to the gorgeous boy making his entrance. And it was just as expected, Hyunjin took one step inside and the whole room fell silent, watching in awe, as he made his way towards the prince.

  
  


Changbin was always good at masking his emotions with his flawless public facade. But that day he couldn’t hold back from letting his mouth fall open in a quiet gasp as Hyunjin appeared before him, taking his breath away. 

  
  


Now that he was right in front of him, the prince could see the simple yet elegant makeup he was wearing, sparkles around his eyes and rose-tinted lips. Dainty earrings dangled above his shoulders, with a pretty pearl necklace resting around his neck. He looked even more beautiful up close, and Changbin had to swallow, feeling his face heat up as all eyes were now on him. 

  
  


“I hope it’s not too much,” Hyunjin whispered, looking shy. A sweet blush bloomed across his cheeks. “I asked for a dress, but Jeongin really went overboard with my request. I was insanely nervous to come. I was worried that everyone, especially you, wouldn’t like it, wouldn’t like me wearing something like this.”

  
  


“No, not at all!” Changbin spoke quickly, trying not to let himself fall into a trance. “You look stunning, _magical_ even.” 

  
  


Hyunjin sighed in relief.

  
  


“I’ll have to thank Jeongin later, then! As long as you like it, that makes me happy. You… also look very charming today,” he beamed, and Changbin was beginning to question how lucky he had to be for having a boy as lovely and pure as Hyunjin by his side. He questioned how a boy like that could even exist. 

  
  


The quiet chatter in the room finally returned to that previous noisy talk and laughter. Changbin could tell people were still staring at them, staring at Hyunjin. He suddenly felt possessive, with the way some of the men in the room were looking at the desirable boy up and down. He took hold of Hyunjin’s hand, pulling him even closer, tilting his head to the side. “Shall we dance?” 

  
  


And so they did, pretending like it was two nights ago, just the two of them alone in the empty ballroom in the middle of the night. They tuned out all the noise, all the people, and kept their gaze locked, not taking their eyes off one another. Eventually, Changbin had to let him go to dance with the others too, the other Elite. And all four of them had whispered to him the same thing: _‘It’s Hyunjin, isn’t it?’_

  
  


As the end of the night neared, Changbin had quietly escaped to the palace gardens, setting his plan into action. He waited, hidden in the shadows, for Hyunjin to come outside following the instructions on the note he had given him during their waltz. 

  
  


After a few moments, a pink figure could be spotted between the trees, making way towards the dark, seemingly empty gazebo. Changbin then signaled at Chan with a nod, and his friend quickly switched on the fairy lights, creating an enchanting scene. Hyunjin was startled by the sudden reveal, Changbin standing in the middle of the gazebo holding a rose that coincidentally matched the colour of Hyunjin’s dress. 

  
  


“As you know, I’ve decided who I’m choosing. I’m going to propose to him tonight.” 

  
  


Hyunjin looked nervous. “Oh, right. So uhm... wh-who is it?” 

  
  


Changbin chuckled, almost snorting at the silly question. Hyunjin was acting oblivious. He handed the boy the rose, smiling fondly before dropping down on one knee. Hyunjin gasped, as if he genuinely hadn’t seen this coming. 

  
  


“It's you, dear. Who else would it be?” 

  
  


Changbin pulled a velvet box out of the inside of his suit jacket, flipping it open to reveal a ring. It wasn’t as intricate or extravagant as you’d expect from a prince. It was plain silver, but with a delicate design, both sides swirling together with the tiniest but shiniest of a diamond gem resting in the center. Simple yet pretty, the wedding ring of his grandmother. 

  
  


He gently took Hyunjin’s hand, slowly slipping it onto his slender finger. The boy was flustered, to put it short. His chest was visibly rising and falling, eyes blown. But he wasn’t _too_ shocked, of course he must have mentally prepared himself for something like this, for the possibility of being Changbin’s pick. 

  
  


And the prince felt somewhat the same. A few months ago, he would’ve laughed at the idea of ever falling in love again. Yet here he was now, head over heels for the most beautiful boy, a whole new feeling taking over him, one he hadn’t even discovered the first time he’d found love. Hyunjin was just special, Changbin felt something much deeper, much stronger for him. 

  
  


He couldn’t wait to seal his fate, say his vows, and create an unbreakable bond with this boy. He would love and cherish him eternally.

  
  


“Hwang Hyunjin, will you marry me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's on getting married after the second date :D


	11. Hyunjin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't have any song recs in this chapter but i would suggest listening to something romantic, perhaps some soft piano <3

_Hwang Hyunjin, will you marry me?_

  
  


The words were still stuck in his head, even as Hyunjin was pacing around his room the next morning, trying to comprehend what had happened and reminding himself that it wasn’t all a dream.

  
  


He was proposed to by the prince of New Asia. And he said yes.

  
  


Changbin had given Hyunjin the biggest smile upon hearing his answer, standing up again to pull the boy in for a long, deep, loving kiss. Hyunjin honestly could not remember much beyond that all too well, he was in quite a daze. They had returned to the ballroom right after and Changbin had announced to the room that he had made his decision, holding up Hyunjin’s hand with the ring for all to see, before he kissed the back of that hand and pulled him close. There were murmurs and giggles from their audience, pictures were being taken, and then the King and Queen had come to congratulate them. 

  
  


‘ _You look beautiful tonight, Hyunjin,_ ’ the Queen had told him, and he couldn’t have been happier. To be so quickly accepted into Changbin’s family, and to hear such a compliment from the Queen herself, what an honour. The royal family was more benevolent than he had initially thought. Not only did they overlook his flaws, but his father’s criminal record too. He hoped the public would be just as kind. 

  
  


“What are you thinking about?” Jeongin asked, as he measured Hyunjin for a new dress. His wedding dress. He remembered how conflicted he had been to show up in a gown in front of tons of people at a fancy event like the ball, but he was so glad Changbin liked it. It was enough to make him forget about all the staring that had made him uncomfortable. 

  
  


“Nothing, just trying to imagine how lovely you’ll make me look in two days.”

  
  


“It’s a short time to prepare, but I won’t sleep until it’s done, until it’s perfect,” Jeongin wrote down the numbers in his notebook as he measured. “Goodness, your waist is so tiny.”

  
  


“Jeongin,” Hyunjin made the boy look at him. “Do make sure you actually get sleep, okay? I don’t need something as extravagant as the gown I wore yesterday. I just want something simple, a plain kind of pretty.”

  
  


“Alright, Your Highness,” Jeongin bowed his head. “As you wish.” 

  
  


_Your Highness._ Right, he was royalty now, he was going to be a prince. 

  
  


“Don’t call me that, please.”

  
  


“I knew you’d say that,” Jeongin shook his head knowingly, then left to go start the dressmaking.

  
  


Hyunjin called his mother just after, reminding her that she’d be living at the palace now. She was ecstatic, double-checking that Hyunjin was happy too. And of course he was. His happy ending was quite different than he imagined it would be, and certainly unexpected, but he was content. Very much so. 

  
  


“I was so nervous,” he admitted. 

  
  


“Oh but baby, I saw it all on TV. You looked so, so lovely. I couldn’t be more proud,” she replied, starting to tear up on the call. 

  
  


“Mum, are you okay?” 

  
  


“My son is a One now…” 

  
  


It took some time for Hyunjin to really come to that realization and accept it, the jump from being a Five to a One was certainly not small. It also seemed like his mother was missing something. 

  
  


“I know, and don’t forget that you’re a One now too.” 

  
  


Just as he ended the call, his wonderful friends had come piling in with a hundred different questions for him. They asked about the gown, the proposal, the announcement, and they wanted to see his ring.

  
  


“Isn’t that a bit pathetic looking...” Jisung bluntly commented, and Felix smacked his arm. 

  
  


“No!” Hyunjin tried not to sound offended, but failed. “It’s perfect! I’m glad it’s not big and gaudy, it’s just the style I like.”

  
  


“Well I think it’s really pretty,” Seungmin moved Jisung out of the way. “Certainly not something your model boyfriend would get you.” 

  
  


Oh. So everyone knew about Minho and Jisung now, huh?

  
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Jisung scoffed.

  
  


“Then let me ask the questions now,” Hyunjin raised a brow. “What even… happened? Like how did the two of you start to, you know?”

  
  


“I don’t really know either,” Jisung shrugged. “One day I walked into the wrong room accidentally, it was Minho’s. I thought it was mine though, so when I heard someone showering, I barged in to kick ‘em out. I have no idea how but he ended up fucking me in the shower… maybe it’s because I was staring at his huge dick for too long, he just pulled me in and stripped me-”

  
  


“Okay, wow, that’s enough,” Felix covered his mouth, noticing how Hyunjin was staring in disgust. 

  
  


“I didn’t get to the best part,” Jisung swatted Felix’s hand away.

  
  


“That’s okay, nobody wants to hear it,” Seungmin shook his head.

  
  


“Well, that’ll be you very soon,” Jisung reminded Hyunjin. “Don’t forget about your honeymoon.”

  
  


Right. There was that too. So much was happening so fast Hyunjin didn’t feel like he could ever be fully ready. But he knew that everything would be fine as long as Changbin was there for him, to help him. That’s all that mattered. 

  
  


The group of friends all exchanged numbers before they left Hyunjin’s room. They’d really miss each other, but luckily the Elite would still be attending the wedding. And Hyunjin had promised to keep in contact with them and to invite them for every special occasion. He’d make sure they could visit the palace as often as possible. Jisung had even asked about Minho, and Hyunjin smiled. Of course Minho could join them. After all, he was Changbin’s friend too. Hyunjin wanted to be closer to him as well. 

  
  


The rest of the day Hyunjin spent writing his vows. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


And finally, came the day of the wedding.

  
  


Hyunjin had planned most of it out, surprisingly taking much interest in the preparations despite believing that he didn’t really care. He asked Changbin if it could be just a small gathering rather than a public event, he definitely did not want some big, grand wedding. The ball had been too much for him, he didn’t want to see faces he couldn’t recognize. Just something simple with all their family and friends would be enough, and Changbin had agreed to the idea. He wasn’t too keen on having the whole Capital being invited either, filling all the streets outside the palace. Pictures from the event would have to be enough to please the people. 

  
  


Hyunjin had asked Seungmin to be one of the photographers. He also asked if Felix’s family bakery could make the cake, and if Jisung could take care of the music with the help of Minho if he wanted. Chan became Changbin’s best man, and Hyunjin made Jeongin his (even though the boy tried to refuse many times). They wanted to make sure that everyone they loved was involved in some way, which was again Hyunjin's idea.

  
  


Truthfully, he was maybe a bit overexcited, even if he was equally as nervous. 

  
  


“Not getting cold feet, are you?” Hyunjin’s mother lightly tugged on his arm that was linked with hers.

  
  


“No, not at all,” he reassured her, immediately letting go of the lip he was biting. 

  
  


“Put on a smile baby, it’s almost time.”

  
  


The soft piano had begun moments later, cueing his entrance. Walking side by side with his mother, he made his way down the aisle, which was really just a pathway made of rose petals. The event was in the palace gardens, and it had been decorated to resemble a scene like one from a fairytale. There were pretty flowers and ribbons put up all over, with cute little wooden benches for the guests to sit on. 

  
  


But at that moment, they were not seated. They had all stood and turned to face Hyunjin. 

  
  


He had entered wearing a traditionally white wedding dress, the sleeves resting off his shoulders. The material was silk, loose and flowy with a lace outline. The front of it went up to mid-calf, and the rest was longer, trailing behind him as he walked. Around his neck was a delicate pearl necklace, with pearl earrings to match. Rather than putting it up again, he had his long golden hair fall straight to his shoulders. It was parted through the middle, one side tucked behind his ear. Parts of his hair even had pale blue and purple flowers braided into it. The elegant makeup he had on continued with the colour scheme, sparkles around his eyes and glossy pink lips. 

  
  


Hyunjin glanced around at everyone as he came closer. They were all dressed up as well, smiling at him, watching in awe just as they had at the ball. Then he looked at Changbin, starting from his shoes and making his way up, slowly taking him all in. He was wearing a dark, tight-fitted tux, his usually tousled hair now neatly slicked back with a few loose strands falling on his forehead. He looked more handsome than ever, if that was even possible. And eventually, he met Changbin’s gaze, his incredibly loving gaze. Hyunjin’s mother let go, giving him away as Changbin gently took his hands. They were standing in the gazebo, the same one he was proposed to in just a few days ago.

  
  


The officiant had started to speak, but Hyunjin wasn’t really listening. He was thinking again. 

  
  


It was strange to believe that this would happen. That Hyunjin was wedding a man he’d only spent little time with. But he knew exactly what kind of person Changbin was, and he was undoubtedly ready to spend the rest of his life with him. Discovering more and more, new things to love about each other. It seemed a bit ridiculous, but Hyunjin was alright with that. He somehow knew that everything would be okay, because this was meant to be. Changbin and Hyunjin were meant to be. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life. 

  
  


Hyunjin had said something along those lines in his vow, but he was on the verge of tears listening to Changbin’s. 

  
  


“Right this moment, I’m feeling a way that I’m certain no word can describe. Just as you said, my dear, we have not known one another for too long, yet everything in me recognizes your arms as my haven. I want to stay holding you, because I love how warm you are, how warm your heart is. I love the way you dance. I love the way you smile. I love the way your lips feel on mine. Today, I want to make promises to you that I will always keep. I promise to never stop holding your hand. I promise to stand by your side when you’re facing difficulty, listening to you when you speak. I promise to join your laughter with my own, and when you can’t look on the bright side I will sit with you in the dark. I promise to grow alongside you, but also to never grow up. I promise to love, respect, protect and trust you, and give you the best of myself, for I know that together we will build a life far better than either of us could imagine alone. I used to never truly enjoy moments because I was always waiting for what’s next. The next thing to happen. Kind of living life in fast forward. But now that I have you, I want to enjoy the moment. Every moment,” Changbin paused briefly, intertwining their fingers. “Hyunjin, falling for you wasn’t falling at all, it was walking into a house and knowing you’re home.”

  
  


_Oh._

  
  


Hyunjin’s heart throbbed _._ To say he was touched was an enormous understatement. 

  
  


The guests all cooed at the heartfelt vow, some of them even tearing up. Changbin must’ve noticed Hyunjin’s eyes watering as well, because he squeezed his hands tighter, offering the most comforting smile. But Hyunjin found himself closing his eyes, the tears spilling and rolling down his cheeks. Changbin quickly wiped them away with his thumbs, grinning at him as he shook his head. 

  
  


“I mean every word,” he leaned in to whisper, and Hyunjin wanted to hug him so, so tightly. How did he end up with someone this genuinely loving and sweet? How could he ever have thought Changbin was anything but those things? Even as they exchanged rings, even as the ceremony was nearing its end, his eyes stayed on Hyunjin, endless amounts of love pouring out of them. Just the way Changbin looked at him… he was almost overwhelmed by the feeling. That utterly blissful feeling. 

  
  


“Do you, Prince Seo Changbin of New Asia, take Hwang Hyunjin to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

  
  


“I do,” Changbin uttered the words thick with warmth and sincerity. 

  
  


The officiant had barely started to speak again, but the answer slipped out of Hyunjin’s mouth without another thought. 

  
  


“I do,” he took a deep breath, repeating himself once more just to make it clear. “I do.”

  
  


Changbin beamed at him as the guests quietly chuckled. Hyunjin looked down in slight embarrassment. 

  
  


“It seems someone is in a bit of a hurry,” the officiant quipped. “Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you partners for life.”

  
  


Changbin reached out and softly placed his hand on Hyunjin’s cheek.

  
  


“You may now kiss the…” a hesitant pause, likely because the officiant was unsure of what to say, but then he settled on “bride.”

  
  


And Hyunjin was perfectly fine with that. Glad even. He _was_ Changbin’s bride, and nothing made him happier. He smiled into their kiss, everyone cheering when it was drawn out longer than it should be. Changbin had even dipped Hyunjin back, to his surprise. 

  
  


“It is my great honour and privilege to be the first to present to you, Their Royal Highnesses, Seo Changbin and Seo Hyunjin!”

  
  


Changbin laughed joyfully, taking Hyunjin into his arms again and carefully lifting him off the ground. He spun the boy in a quick circle, causing him to join in on his laughter. Hyunjin was gently placed back down, and they took each other’s hands, going off to meet with the guests. It was time to party. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


The rest of the day had consisted of a lot of dancing, chatting, eating and laughing. Chan’s speech as best man was incredibly sentimental, Changbin was at a loss for words. Jeongin’s, on the other hand, was hilarious. He made plentiful jokes and gave everyone some inside stories about what Hyunjin and him would do or talk about in his bedroom. Some of it did embarrass him, but Hyunjin had on the biggest smile, so grateful that he could be surrounded by all these people he loved and who loved him. It was all thanks to the Selection, thanks to his mother’s persistency. If he had not applied, if his name had not been drawn, he’d possibly never live out the rest of his life this happy and content. 

  
  


“I guess mothers do always know what’s best,” Hyunjin rested his head on her shoulder, and she gently stroked his hair. 

  
  


“Tired now, are you?” she hummed. “You’ve never once admitted to appreciating something I did for you, for your own good. Perhaps this whole experience has matured you. My baby finally grew up.”

  
  


“You’re probably right,” Hyunjin lifted his head, giving her a small smile. “I’m sorry.”

  
  


She gave her son a peck on the cheek, chuckling as she quickly rubbed off the lipstick, “Oops, better not let your man see this.”

  
  


“Mum!”

  
  


She shoved a forkful of cake in his mouth, heading off as she saw Changbin coming over. 

  
  


“The others are waiting for you to throw your bouquet,” he grinned in amusement. “Do you want to?”

  
  


“Why not?” Hyunjin giggled. He stood with his back facing the crowd, holding out the lavender bouquet in his hands. Without warning, he tossed it behind himself, spinning around to see who it had landed with. 

  
  


Jeongin. 

  
  


The boy looked down at it in an unfazed manner at first, blinking when he glanced around at everyone cheering for him. Then he came to the realization of what happened, and his eyes immediately shot towards a very cutesy girl with pale skin and short auburn hair. She was wearing the uniform of the palace staff, standing by the drinks table. Jeongin exchanged a shy smile with her, and Hyunjin could only assume this was the maid Jeongin told him he liked when they had first met. Seemed like the day was just full of smiles and laughter, Hyunjin’s cheeks were starting to hurt. 

  
  


And then eventually, it was time to go. A honeymoon awaited him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh i was a bit unsatisfied with this chapter, but i hope you liked it :)


	12. Changbin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally, the last chapter :D it's longer than the others, so enjoy !

The last thing Changbin expected to happen was to discover that his wedding day would be the best day of his life. 

  
  


He had started off thinking of the Selection as sort of a burden, just a silly game to find someone he could bear the length of life with. But instead, he ended up finding the love of his life. Perhaps it was time for Changbin to stop being so miserable, he deserved a happy ending too. 

  
  


They had returned to Changbin’s bedroom just after the wedding, grabbing their pre-packed bags and changing into something more comfortable for the trip they’d take that same day to their honeymoon destination. 

  
  


“You looked incredibly mesmerizing, my dear. I hope the wedding photos come in quickly. I want a big, framed portrait right here in my room. _Our_ room.”

  
  


“As you have, all day, made abundantly clear,” Hyunjin grinned. “But yes, I like that idea, Your Highness.”

  
  


“Changbin. Call me by my name, I am your husband now,” he reminded his bride. “Actually, I would prefer a term of endearment. Perhaps _my love_ , or even _babe_.”

  
  


“Oh goodness, no. I am not calling you _babe_ ,” Hyunjin giggled. “I suppose _my love_ will do.”

  
  


“Your Highnesses, the car is ready,” a guard entered to inform them, bowing before taking his leave. 

  
  


“Come then, my love,” Hyunjin smirked, holding out his hand for Changbin to take. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


The ride to the docks wasn’t much of a long one. From there they would be taking a motorboat to get to the royal family’s very own private island, of course. They’d be staying for a week, and Changbin could only wish their little trip would last longer, but he still had duties to fulfill upon returning home. Actually, his honeymoon was his first proper vacation since he was a child. He’d have to cherish every second and savour their short time alone together. 

  
  


As Changbin steered the boat towards the dreamy, tropical location, Hyunjin came up and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on his husband’s shoulder. Their hair was flying in the wind, clothes flapping. The weather was near perfect, and the water was shimmering in the sunlight. Hyunjin took the sunglasses that were resting on Changbin’s head and slipped them on. 

  
  


“How do I look?”

  
  


Changbin turned and pinched his cheek. “You look cute.”

  
  


“No, tell me I look hot!” Hyunjin pouted, brows drawn together. 

  
  


“Now you look even cuter,” Changbin grinned, softly flicking the lower lip that Hyunjin had jutted out in complaint. 

  
  


“Hmph,” Hyunjin crossed his arms just as they had arrived at shore, and he hopped out onto the dock excitedly. He paused for a moment, probably to take in the massive area of sand and palm trees, a sight Hyunjin had likely never seen before. There was a large, luxurious bungalow in the center of it all, it had a beachy design, one that gave it minimal walls and doors. Most of the ‘rooms’ were out in the open, they had the privacy of the entire island after all. 

  
  


“What would you like to do first?” Changbin asked, taking their bags inside and placing them in the bedroom… or, bed _area_. Hyunjin didn’t seem to hear him, he was too busy bouncing around and exploring every end of the bungalow, his mouth wide open in awe at the beautiful interior. 

  
  


“I assume you like the place,” Changbin caught Hyunjin’s arm as he wandered by, pulling him close. “If you won’t decide what you want to do, then I would like to devour you now.”

  
  


“And I would _not_ like to be devoured,” Hyunjin blushed, gently pushing Changbin away and running off towards the water. He turned around once, sticking his tongue out to tease. “Not until you catch me!”

  
  


Changbin smirked, darting after him. They were both wearing loose t-shirts and shorts, so neither minded getting wet as they played in the water for a bit. Changbin had eventually caught Hyunjin, grabbing his ankle under the surface and yanking him all the way in. Hyunjin gasped when he came back up, running his hands through his now soaked hair. Changbin laughed profusely, before Hyunjin hopped on his back, pushing him under too. 

  
  


“You look like a porcupine!” Hyunjin was the one laughing now, the sound contagious. Changbin tried to fix his wet hair that had probably turned into spikes on his head. 

  
  


“Hey, come here! I caught you, so bring me your lips as promised.”

  
  


Hyunjin giggled, mischievously shaking his head _no_ , before he ran off back into the bungalow. Changbin sighed, but with a smile, watching the boy fondly. He wasn’t used to having fun and relaxing like this. It felt like he was neglecting his duties, so he had to keep reminding himself that wasn’t the case, that he was here to enjoy time spent with his husband.

  
  


He followed Hyunjin’s sandy footprints through the house until he arrived at the kitchen, where Hyunjin had his back facing him, eating the fruits on the counter. Changbin quietly snuck up behind him, before he spun the boy around and connected their mouths, leaning him against the edge of the counter. 

  
  


Hyunjin gripped him in surprise, making a muffled noise. Changbin then realized there was a grape in Hyunjin’s mouth, which he bit down on as they kissed. The sweet juice of the fruit tickled their taste buds, coating the inside of their mouths. It was so delicious, Changbin had to practically restrain himself from sighing out loud in pleasure. 

  
  


When they pulled apart, a string of saliva broke between them. Hyunjin slid the tip of his tongue slowly along his bottom lip, collecting the lingering taste. Changbin gulped, the sight was almost seductive, and his carnal desires were exploding in response. Until now, Changbin hadn’t really looked at Hyunjin in a sensuous way, but the boy was certainly tempting. At least, at the moment, he felt like he could not control his lust. He felt like taking Hyunjin right there on the counter. But he stopped himself, downing a glass of cold water to calm down. 

  
  


As the sky slowly darkened, Changbin led Hyunjin to the bathroom.

  
  


“Let me bathe you,” he offered. He did not want to go to bed smelling like seawater. 

  
  


“B-Bathe me?” Hyunjin suddenly became flustered. 

  
  


“I simply want to know how lucky your servant boy must be,” Changbin smirked. 

  
  


Hyunjin was quiet for a moment, then he nodded meekly. 

  
  


“May I undress you?” 

  
  


Another small nod.

  
  


Changbin stood in front of him, reaching out to start unbuttoning the boy’s shirt. His chest was rising and falling steadily, but his breathing was loud, as Changbin pushed the shirt past his shoulders until it fell to the ground. He gently put his hand on Hyunjin’s chest, and could feel his heart beating fast, just like Changbin’s own. 

  
  


When he helped get Hyunjin’s shorts off until he stood nude, the boy shivered a bit, goosebumps crawling across his skin. He was holding his hands over himself at suddenly being so exposed, his cheeks and ears turning red. Changbin tried not to stare, but he couldn’t help himself. Hyunjin had such a delicate body, like a pretty flower. 

  
  


“Are you okay?” Changbin turned away, starting to fill the bathtub with warm water. “If you’re embarrassed I won’t look.”

  
  


“No I-” Hyunjin paused. “I’m just a little cold.” 

  
  


“Yeah, the night’s a bit chilly, and this place has no walls,” he chuckled. “Come, get in. The water is nice and hot.”

  
  


Changbin took hold of Hyunjin’s hand, helping him climb into the tub. 

  
  


“Is that better?” 

  
  


“Yes, just missing the lavender,” Hyunjin joked, relaxing himself. 

  
  


“We actually have rose petals instead,” Changbin remembered, bringing them from a cupboard and dropping them into the water. “Romantic, isn’t it?”

  
  


Hyunjin watched them drift onto the water’s surface as one would look at snow falling. He took one of the petals into his hand and nodded, smiling. Changbin smiled back, then suddenly reprimanded himself for thinking a bit like an animal back when they had made out in the kitchen. Hyunjin was innocent and pure, with a fragile-looking body. He didn’t want to hurt the boy, he had to be patient and gentle. Not to mention Changbin was inexperienced himself, Minho had only taught him so much during their little rendezvous. 

  
  


“Can I ask you something?” Hyunjin sounded shy, fiddling with the petal in his hand. 

  
  


“Of course,” Changbin said from behind him. He was on his knees by the edge of the tub, shampooing Hyunjin’s silky hair. 

  
  


“Do I… do I have a sexy body?” Hyunjin’s voice was so quiet Changbin thought he heard that wrong. 

  
  


“That’s your question?” Changbin couldn’t hold back his laughter. “Indeed you do.”

  
  


“Jeongin said so too, I was just…” Hyunjin ended there, seeming too embarrassed to continue. 

  
  


“Don’t be shy to ask me such things, my dear,” Changbin was amused. “You’re very sexy, Hyunjin. I mean it!”

  
  


That only made the boy more flustered. Changbin found it incredibly endearing. 

  
  


“You’re also very adorable,” he grinned. “I think if I wasn’t a prince, I would’ve liked to be your servant.”

  
  


“Changbin, don’t say things like that,” Hyunjin covered his face with his hands bashfully. 

  
  


It was the first time Hyunjin had called him by his name, and it made his heart flutter for some reason. And suddenly he was pulling his shirt off over his head, throwing it off to the side along with his shorts. Hyunjin had turned to see what he was doing, only to let out a squeak and whip his head back around.

  
  


“I’m joining you, make some room.”

  
  


Hyunjin nervously scooted forward, water splashing over the side in his haste. Changbin placed his arm around Hyunjin’s tense body, pulling him closer until he was back hugging him. 

  
  


“Are you comfortable with this?” Changbin asked to make sure. He knew it was an intimate step to take, but they were married now. “Do you like it? Shall I get out?”

  
  


“No!” Hyunjin said too quickly, clearing his throat. “No, stay.” 

  
  


Changbin chuckled. “Alright, glad to hear that.”

  
  


“So I was thinking…” Hyunjin seemed to want to change the subject. “I’m going to make Jeongin my personal assistant instead of my servant. I know it sounds like the same thing, but I want to give him some sort of promotion, or something like that. Can I do that?”

  
  


“It is a little difficult to do that at the moment because of the Caste system, but once I become King, we can certainly try! I was also actually thinking of asking Chan to become my royal advisor, and perhaps an occasional therapist.”

  
  


“We can do it,” Hyunjin was determined. “Once the system is gone, I am sure more people will be grateful rather than disappointed.”

  
  


Changbin was feeling good. Hyunjin somehow had the power to replace his pessimism with optimism, and he was positive anything would be possible with Hyunjin at his side. 

  
  


“So uhm... can we… can we always bathe together?” Hyunjin turned to the side to look at Changbin through his lashes. 

  
  


“Oh my goodness, you are cuter than anything in this world,” Changbin tickled him, and Hyunjin squirmed against him, laughing loudly in the silence of the night. 

  
  


“You didn’t answer my question,” Hyunjin said as soon as he caught his breath. 

  
  


“Of course it is a yes. We shall bathe together, eat together, spend the day together,” Changbin paused, leaning down to graze his lips against Hyunjin’s ear, his voice lowering almost to a growl. “Sleep together.” 

  
  


Hyunjin pressed his legs together at that, Adam's apple bobbing. He moved his hands to cover the part of his body that was clearly reacting to Changbin’s words. He could not help but find everything Hyunjin did so lovably entertaining, especially when he was shy or flustered. 

  
  


Changbin suddenly got out of the bath, tying a towel around his waist and reaching to get one for Hyunjin. After wrapping it around the boy’s body, he swooped an arm down under his legs and lifted him up bridal style (quite fitting for the occasion), softly placing him on the bed. 

  
  


Hyunjin’s breath, his scent, his taste, his touch. Changbin wanted to drink it all in and completely melt into him. 

  
  


So he started by exploring Hyunjin’s body. Desperate to feel every inch of his skin, find every bend and crease, so smooth, like pillows made of clouds. And Hyunjin had begun to pepper kisses along his chest, his plump lips like soft cushions, a hand reaching to grip Changbin’s tousled hair. His other hand trailed up to the curve of Changbin’s neck, squeezing the flesh there gently before moving to cup his jaw. Their lips slipped together like puzzle pieces, a kiss steeped in a fiery passion. Changbin relished in the feeling, taking a deep breath of Hyunjin’s natural scent mixed with rose, his new favourite. 

  
  


A soft prod of his finger to Hyunjin’s thigh and they both exhaled at the same time. Changbin smiled giddily at the way Hyunjin relented the teasing. Perhaps to get him back, Hyunjin shifted a certain way that caused their lower bodies to rub together, and Changbin instinctively grasped Hyunjin’s waist, steadying him, grinding down on him. 

  
  


Hyunjin released a high-pitched whine at this, throwing his head back with a look of ecstasy on his face. He gripped Changbin’s larger frame tightly, whining and writhing. Whatever patience Changbin had left was gone, and he reached for the lube. 

  
  
  


~ * ~

  
  
  


They spent the rest of the days being soft and romantic, but they'd be going at it like rabbits every night. 

  
  


At sunset on the last day of their honeymoon, the newlyweds were having sex on the beach. Changbin had Hyunjin on his back so he wouldn't get his face dirty, as he fucked him into the sand. 

  
  


“I don’t want to go back,” Hyunjin tried to speak between moans. “Let’s stay here forever.” 

  
  


Changbin chuckled at his mumbling.

  
  


“I wish the same,” he panted in reply, then growling as he sped up his pace. “My dear, let's talk later, okay?”

  
  


Hyunjin simply cried out in response, arching his back as he came. 

  
  


A minute later, the pair were lying side by side on the shore, Hyunjin in Changbin’s warm embrace. They were trying to catch their breaths, the waves gently rolling over them and washing away the sweat on their bodies and the mess they’d made. 

  
  


The sun had almost set. The sky now had a pinkish-orange glow, casting the colours over the water too. The view was breathtaking, but Changbin only admired it for a moment before setting his gaze on his husband, who he thought was even lovelier. 

  
  


“You’re happy right?” he leaned closer to Hyunjin, softly pecking his cheek.

  
  


“More than I could ever be. I feel like I'm in heaven,” Hyunjin grinned, turning to look at Changbin.

  
  


“Me too,” he paused to close his eyes and take a deep breath. “You. This feeling. This _bliss_. I never want it to end.”

  
  


Hyunjin wiggled even closer, and Changbin felt his heart tighten. He reached out and gently took Hyunjin’s hand, placing a soft kiss on his palm before resting it on his cheek, holding it there. Hyunjin drew circles on Changbin’s skin with his thumb, gaze locked on each other. 

  
  


It was quiet, there was only the sound of the crashing waves and their heartbeats.

  
  


Changbin broke the silence. 

  
  


“I love you.”

  
  


He was surprised when he realized neither of them had said it until now, not even at their wedding. They were just three words, and still, they held so much meaning. So much that Changbin might not fully understand yet, but he was more than ready to spend the rest of his life discovering it with the boy beside him. 

  
  


Hyunjin smiled so brightly at the words. He was glowing even more than the sky. 

  
  


“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks a lot to the mods and everyone who put this fest together :)
> 
> i really hope you enjoyed reading, and please leave kudos if you did <3
> 
> i would also love to read your thoughts/feedback so please write lots of comments as well!
> 
> -
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/binflowerwrites)


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